high dynamic range digital photography for dummies (isbn - 0470560924)

Robert CorrellCoauthor of HDR Photography Photo Workshop

• Shoot and create HDR images

• Choose good subjects and the right camera settings

• Enhance your images with Photomatix Pro and other software packages

IN FULL COLOR!

Learn to:

High Dynamic Range

Digital Photography

Making Everything Easier!™

Open the book and find:

• What makes a photo a high dynamic range image

• How to tone-map an HDR image

• When to shoot more or fewer brackets for an HDR image

• Tips on shooting single-exposure HDR

• How to create amazing panoramas

• Strategies for shooting with a high-end or budget digital camera

• Steps for converting HDR images to black and white

• Problem-solving techniques

Robert Correll is an author, photographer, and musician. He is coauthor

of HDR Photography Photo Workshop as well as books on Paint Shop Pro

and Pro Tools music production software. Robert also developed a training

system for creating HDR photos with Photoshop CS4.

Photography/Techniques/Digital

$29.99 US / $35.99 CN / £21.99 UK

ISBN 978-0-470-56092-1

Go to Dummies.com®

for videos, step-by-step examples, how-to articles, or to shop!

Are you ready to take an artistic leap forward in your photography? Do you want dynamic photos that bring a scene to life? With this book, your camera, and a little practice, you’ll be able to create amazing HDR images. Packed with full-color examples, it shows you how to edit photos to give them more vibrant colors, richer contrast, and sharper highlights.

• The ABCs of HDR — learn the basics about cameras, gear, workflow, and software options for creating HDR

• Examine your HDR options — apply different strategies when shooting with a pro camera or basic point-and-shoot model

• Expand your photo techniques — discover the basics of photo bracketing and how to create HDR from a single Raw photo

• Turn normal photos into eye-catching HDR images — use Photomatix Pro to create and tone-map HDR images

• Broaden your horizons — take better photos for HDR and create HDR panoramas or black-and-white HDR images

Get the lowdown on how HDR works plus ways to shoot it, process it, and finish your images

InColor

Hig

h D

yna

mic R

an

ge

Dig

ital Ph

oto

gra

phy

Hig

h D

yna

mic R

an

ge

Dig

i tal Ph

oto

gra

phy

Correll

spine=.70”

spine=.70”

Start with FREE Cheat SheetsCheat Sheets include • Checklists • Charts • Common Instructions • And Other Good Stuff!

Get More and Do More at Dummies.com®

To access the Cheat Sheet created specifically for this book, go to www.dummies.com/cheatsheet/hdrdigitalphotography

Get Smart at Dummies.com Dummies.com makes your life easier with 1,000s of answers on everything from removing wallpaper to using the latest version of Windows.

Check out our • Videos • Illustrated Articles • Step-by-Step Instructions

Plus, each month you can win valuable prizes by entering our Dummies.com sweepstakes. *

Want a weekly dose of Dummies? Sign up for Newsletters on • Digital Photography • Microsoft Windows & Office • Personal Finance & Investing • Health & Wellness • Computing, iPods & Cell Phones • eBay • Internet • Food, Home & Garden

Find out “HOW” at Dummies.com

*Sweepstakes not currently available in all countries; visit Dummies.com for official rules.

High Dynamic Range Digital Photography

FOR

DUMmIES‰

01_560921-ffirs.indd i01_560921-ffirs.indd i 11/16/09 1:20 PM11/16/09 1:20 PM

01_560921-ffirs.indd i 11/16/09 1:20 PM

by Robert Correll

High Dynamic Range Digital Photography

FOR

DUMmIES‰

01_560921-ffirs.indd iii01_560921-ffirs.indd iii 11/16/09 1:20 PM11/16/09 1:20 PM

High Dynamic Range Digital Photography For Dummies®

Published byWiley Publishing, Inc.111 River StreetHoboken, NJ 07030-5774

www.wiley.com

Copyright © 2010 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana

Published by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana

Published simultaneously in Canada

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning or otherwise, except as permit-ted under Sections 107 or 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act, without either the prior written permission of the Publisher, or authorization through payment of the appropriate per-copy fee to the Copyright Clearance Center, 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923, (978) 750-8400, fax (978) 646-8600. Requests to the Publisher for permission should be addressed to the Permissions Department, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030, (201) 748-6011, fax (201) 748-6008, or online at http://www.wiley.com/go/permissions.

Trademarks: Wiley, the Wiley Publishing logo, For Dummies, the Dummies Man logo, A Reference for the Rest of Us!, The Dummies Way, Dummies Daily, The Fun and Easy Way, Dummies.com, Making Everything Easier, and related trade dress are trademarks or registered trademarks of John Wiley & Sons, Inc. and/or its affi liates in the United States and other countries, and may not be used without written permission. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Wiley Publishing, Inc., is not associated with any product or vendor mentioned in this book.

LIMIT OF LIABILITY/DISCLAIMER OF WARRANTY: THE PUBLISHER AND THE AUTHOR MAKE NO REPRESENTATIONS OR WARRANTIES WITH RESPECT TO THE ACCURACY OR COMPLETENESS OF THE CONTENTS OF THIS WORK AND SPECIFICALLY DISCLAIM ALL WARRANTIES, INCLUDING WITH-OUT LIMITATION WARRANTIES OF FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. NO WARRANTY MAY BE CREATED OR EXTENDED BY SALES OR PROMOTIONAL MATERIALS. THE ADVICE AND STRATEGIES CONTAINED HEREIN MAY NOT BE SUITABLE FOR EVERY SITUATION. THIS WORK IS SOLD WITH THE UNDERSTANDING THAT THE PUBLISHER IS NOT ENGAGED IN RENDERING LEGAL, ACCOUNTING, OR OTHER PROFESSIONAL SERVICES. IF PROFESSIONAL ASSISTANCE IS REQUIRED, THE SERVICES OF A COMPETENT PROFESSIONAL PERSON SHOULD BE SOUGHT. NEITHER THE PUBLISHER NOR THE AUTHOR SHALL BE LIABLE FOR DAMAGES ARISING HEREFROM. THE FACT THAT AN ORGANIZA-TION OR WEBSITE IS REFERRED TO IN THIS WORK AS A CITATION AND/OR A POTENTIAL SOURCE OF FURTHER INFORMATION DOES NOT MEAN THAT THE AUTHOR OR THE PUBLISHER ENDORSES THE INFORMATION THE ORGANIZATION OR WEBSITE MAY PROVIDE OR RECOMMENDATIONS IT MAY MAKE. FURTHER, READERS SHOULD BE AWARE THAT INTERNET WEBSITES LISTED IN THIS WORK MAY HAVE CHANGED OR DISAPPEARED BETWEEN WHEN THIS WORK WAS WRITTEN AND WHEN IT IS READ. FULFILLMENT OF EACH COUPON OFFER IS THE SOLE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE OFFEROR.

For general information on our other products and services, please contact our Customer Care Department within the U.S. at 877-762-2974, outside the U.S. at 317-572-3993, or fax 317-572-4002.

For technical support, please visit www.wiley.com/techsupport.

Wiley also publishes its books in a variety of electronic formats. Some content that appears in print may not be available in electronic books.

Library of Congress Control Number: 2009940283

ISBN: 978-0-470-56092-1

Manufactured in the United States of America

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

01_560921-ffirs.indd iv01_560921-ffirs.indd iv 11/16/09 1:20 PM11/16/09 1:20 PM

About the AuthorRobert Correll is an author, photographer, and artist with a lifetime of fi lm

and digital photography experience. He is a longtime expert in image edit-

ing and graphics software such as Photoshop, Photoshop Elements, and

Corel Paint Shop Pro Photo. He also retouches and restores photos. Robert

currently provides professional software testing (Windows and Mac), tuto-

rial and manual authoring, copywriting, and other services to HDRsoft, the

makers of Photomatix Pro (the leading HDR application).

His latest published works include HDR Photography Photo Workshop (with

Pete Carr; published by Wiley), Your Pro Tools Studio, and Photo Restoration and Retouching Using Corel Paint Shop Pro Photo (both published by Course

Technology PTR). Robert also authors creative tutorials for the Virtual

Training Company. His titles range from MasterClass! — Adobe Photoshop CS4 HDRI to subjects covering Corel Paint Shop Pro Photo, Adobe Photoshop

Elements, Sony ACID Pro, and Cakewalk SONAR. He contributed to every

issue of the Offi cial Corel Paint Shop Pro Photo Magazine as the resident

photo retouching expert.

Robert is also a music producer, audio engineer, and musician who makes

his music on the electric guitar and bass. He graduated with a Bachelor of

Science degree in History from the United States Air Force Academy and has

worked in the publishing, education, and marketing and design industries.

01_560921-ffirs.indd v01_560921-ffirs.indd v 11/16/09 1:20 PM11/16/09 1:20 PM

01_560921-ffirs.indd i 11/16/09 1:20 PM

DedicationFor my wife — Anne, and my kids — Ben, Jake, Grace, and Sam.

Author’s AcknowledgmentsThank you to my agent, David Fugate, for your constant advocacy and sup-

port. You’re the man, man. Thanks to all the wonderful people I’ve had the

privilege and pleasure to work with at Wiley. Steve Hayes, Executive Editor,

for having the vision to help get this book approved and published. Thanks

for the opportunity to share my love for HDR photography. Jean Nelson,

Project Editor, for your ever-present support and expert book shepherding

and editing skills. Thank you for being such a pleasure to work with. Teresa

Artman, Copy Editor, for your enthusiasm and copy editing skills. And Ron

Rockwell, Technical Editor, for your effort and diligence.

Rick Hawks and Kathy Wagner of The Chapel, Michelle Gray and Amy Sipe

of Tower Bank, Bob Krafft and Emily Fisher of the Kruse Automotive and

Carriage Museum and the National Military History Center, and Bruce Gaylor

and Mike Bergum of New Castle Chrysler High School. Thank you all for your

permission to set up and shoot interior shots at your wonderful locations.

This book would not have been the same without your cooperation.

Thanks to Nikon, Sony, Canon, Panasonic, Manfrotto, Sigma, Tamrac, and all

the other manufacturers out there who make the gear I use. Thanks to the

guys at Sunny Schick Camera Shop for your assistance and support, and to

Katie of Best Buy. Very special thanks go to Pete Carr, and many thanks to

Geraldine Joffre of HDRsoft.

Finally, thank you to my wife and children for your love, support, and encour-

agement. Thanks also to Dad and Lynda and Don and Mary Anne.

01_560921-ffirs.indd vii01_560921-ffirs.indd vii 11/16/09 1:20 PM11/16/09 1:20 PM

Publisher’s Acknowledgments

We’re proud of this book; please send us your comments at http://dummies.custhelp.com.

For other comments, please contact our Customer Care Department within the U.S. at 877-762-2974,

outside the U.S. at 317-572-3993, or fax 317-572-4002.

Some of the people who helped bring this book to market include the following:

Acquisitions and Editorial

Project Editor: Jean Nelson

Executive Editor: Steven Hayes

Senior Copy Editor: Teresa Artman

Technical Editor: Ron Rockwell

Editorial Manager: Kevin Kirschner

Media Development Project Manager:

Laura Moss-Hollister

Media Development Assistant Project Manager:

Jenny Swisher

Media Development Associate Producers:

Josh Frank, Marilyn Hummel, Douglas Kuhn,

and Shawn Patrick

Editorial Assistant: Amanda Graham

Sr. Editorial Assistant: Cherie Case

Cartoons: Rich Tennant

(www.the5thwave.com)

Composition Services

Project Coordinator: Katie Crocker

Layout and Graphics: Samantha K. Cherolis

Proofreaders: Laura Albert,

Melissa D. Buddendeck

Indexer: Becky Hornyak

Publishing and Editorial for Technology Dummies

Richard Swadley, Vice President and Executive Group Publisher

Andy Cummings, Vice President and Publisher

Mary Bednarek, Executive Acquisitions Director

Mary C. Corder, Editorial Director

Publishing for Consumer Dummies

Diane Graves Steele, Vice President and Publisher

Composition Services

Debbie Stailey, Director of Composition Services

01_560921-ffirs.indd viii01_560921-ffirs.indd viii 11/16/09 1:20 PM11/16/09 1:20 PM

Contents at a GlanceIntroduction ................................................................ 1

Part I: The ABCs of HDR Photography ........................... 7Chapter 1: Shining a Light on HDR .................................................................................. 9

Chapter 2: Gearing Up for HDR ...................................................................................... 27

Chapter 3: Looking Hard at HDR Software ................................................................... 51

Part II: Putting the Photography in HDR Photography ...67Chapter 4: Becoming One with Your Camera .............................................................. 69

Chapter 5: Bracketing Exposures for HDR .................................................................... 87

Chapter 6: Shooting Single-Exposure HDR ................................................................. 115

Part III: The Soft(er)ware Side of HDR ..................... 131Chapter 7: Generating HDR ........................................................................................... 133

Chapter 8: Preparing to Tone Map .............................................................................. 151

Chapter 9: Tone Mapping for Fun and Profi t .............................................................. 173

Chapter 10: Layers, Process, and Blending ................................................................ 197

Chapter 11: Cleaning Up Your Photos ......................................................................... 221

Part IV: Having Fun with HDR Images ...................... 247Chapter 12: Creating Panor-Ahhh-Mas ........................................................................ 249

Chapter 13: Going Old School with Black-and-White HDR ....................................... 269

Part V: The Part of Tens ........................................... 295Chapter 14: (More Than) Ten Ways to Shoot Better Photos for HDR .................... 297

Chapter 15: Ten Ways to Ruin a Good HDR Image .................................................... 307

Index ...................................................................... 319

02_560921-ftoc.indd ix02_560921-ftoc.indd ix 11/16/09 1:20 PM11/16/09 1:20 PM

02_560921-ftoc.indd xvi 11/16/09 1:20 PM

Table of ContentsIntroduction ................................................................. 1

About This Book .............................................................................................. 1

Who This Book Is For ...................................................................................... 1

What You Need ................................................................................................ 2

Foolish Assumptions ....................................................................................... 2

Whys and Wherefores ..................................................................................... 3

How This Book Is Organized .......................................................................... 3

Part I: The ABCs of HDR Photography ................................................ 4

Part II: Putting the Photography in HDR Photography ..................... 4

Part III: The Soft(er)ware Side of HDR ................................................. 4

Part IV: Having Fun with HDR Images.................................................. 4

Part V: The Part of Tens ........................................................................ 5

Icons Used in This Book ................................................................................. 5

Where to Go from Here ................................................................................... 5

Part I: The ABCs of HDR Photography ........................... 7

Chapter 1: Shining a Light on HDR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9Peeking inside the HDR Process .................................................................. 10

The twin peaks of HDR ........................................................................ 10

Going with the (work)fl ow .................................................................. 11

HDR Show and Tell ........................................................................................ 14

Rescuing details from shadows ......................................................... 14

Taming highlights ................................................................................ 16

Making the most of interior spaces ................................................... 17

Enhancing details ................................................................................. 20

Working wonders with people ........................................................... 21

Within and without .............................................................................. 23

Feeding your starving inner artist ..................................................... 24

Getting Excited about HDR Photography ................................................... 26

Chapter 2: Gearing Up for HDR. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27Knowledge Is Power: Researching and Shopping

for the Right Equipment ............................................................................ 28

Looking at Hand-Held Photon Capture Devices (Err, Cameras) .............. 29

Inexpensive compact cameras ........................................................... 30

High-end compact and super-zoom cameras ................................... 33

dSLR cameras ....................................................................................... 35

02_560921-ftoc.indd xi02_560921-ftoc.indd xi 11/16/09 1:20 PM11/16/09 1:20 PM

xii High Dynamic Range Digital Photography For Dummies

Looking through Lenses ............................................................................... 37

Budget compact camera lenses ......................................................... 37

Premium and super-zoom lenses ....................................................... 38

Wide angle lenses ................................................................................ 39

General purpose and kit lenses .......................................................... 41

Other lens types ................................................................................... 42

Choosing a Pod, Tri or Otherwise ............................................................... 43

Odd pods............................................................................................... 44

Inexpensive tripods ............................................................................. 44

Expensive tripods ................................................................................ 45

Additional items for your tripod ........................................................ 47

Adding Optional Accessories to Your HDR Kit .......................................... 47

Chapter 3: Looking Hard at HDR Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .51Software: Don’t Pass HDR without It ........................................................... 51

H-D-R (uh-huh, uh-huh), we like it . . ................................................. 52

Rah rah for raw raw ............................................................................. 53

MBA in image management ................................................................ 54

Editing for zing ..................................................................................... 54

Your Guide to Raw ......................................................................................... 54

Using your camera’s software ............................................................ 54

Third-party Raw software ................................................................... 56

Adobe Camera Raw.............................................................................. 57

Surveying the HDR Software Landscape .................................................... 58

Artizen HDR .......................................................................................... 58

Dynamic Photo HDR ............................................................................ 59

easyHDR ................................................................................................ 59

FDRTools ............................................................................................... 60

Hydra HDR plug-in for Aperture 2.1 ................................................... 61

Photomatix Pro .................................................................................... 61

Qtpfsgui ................................................................................................. 62

Integrating More Cool Software into Your HDR Workfl ow ....................... 62

Corel Paint Shop Pro Photo ................................................................ 63

Adobe Photoshop ................................................................................ 63

Adobe Photoshop Elements ............................................................... 63

Adobe Lightroom ................................................................................. 63

Apple Aperture ..................................................................................... 64

Part II: Putting the Photography in HDR Photography ...67

Chapter 4: Becoming One with Your Camera . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .69The Secrets (Shh . . .) of Exposure .............................................................. 70

Photographic stops/EV ....................................................................... 72

Bracketing ............................................................................................. 73

Metering ................................................................................................ 74

02_560921-ftoc.indd xii02_560921-ftoc.indd xii 11/16/09 1:20 PM11/16/09 1:20 PM

xiii Table of Contents

Confi guring Your Camera for HDR .............................................................. 75

Setting Up Exposure Compensation ............................................................ 76

Preparing to Manually Bracket a Scene ...................................................... 78

Dialing in Auto Bracketing ............................................................................ 81

Getting Ready for Single-Shot HDR .............................................................. 84

Chapter 5: Bracketing Exposures for HDR. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .87Big Answers for Big Bracketing Questions ................................................. 88

Deciding how many brackets to shoot.............................................. 88

Seeing the difference ........................................................................... 91

Shooting Bracketed Photos .......................................................................... 96

Using exposure compensation ........................................................... 97

Manual bracketing ............................................................................. 100

Auto bracketing .................................................................................. 104

Shooting multiple auto brackets ...................................................... 105

Using Alternate Metering Strategies ......................................................... 109

Working with a light meter ............................................................... 109

Alternate metering with your camera ............................................. 114

Chapter 6: Shooting Single-Exposure HDR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .115Knowing When to Break the Rules ............................................................ 116

Satisfying the Minimum Requirements ..................................................... 118

Work-fl ow, Flow, Flow Your Boat ............................................................... 119

Tone Mapping Single Exposures ................................................................ 123

Shooting single-exposure HDR on the go ........................................ 123

Increasing contrast and details ........................................................ 125

Reducing noise ................................................................................... 125

Using a single Raw photo without converting to brackets ........... 126

Comparing Results ...................................................................................... 127

Part III: The Soft(er)ware Side of HDR ..................... 131

Chapter 7: Generating HDR. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .133The Unbearable Lightness of HDR ............................................................ 133

HDelightfullyR images and fi les ........................................................ 134

Choosing an HDR fi le format ............................................................ 135

Converting Raw Photos .............................................................................. 136

Principle principles ........................................................................... 137

Converting bracketed photos .......................................................... 138

Creating brackets from one Raw exposure .................................... 140

Creating HDR ................................................................................................ 142

Photomatix Pro .................................................................................. 142

Photoshop........................................................................................... 146

Photoshop Elements 8 ...................................................................... 149

02_560921-ftoc.indd xiii02_560921-ftoc.indd xiii 11/16/09 1:20 PM11/16/09 1:20 PM

xiv High Dynamic Range Digital Photography For Dummies

Chapter 8: Preparing to Tone Map . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .151Tone Mapping 101 ....................................................................................... 151

Getting Acquainted with Photomatix Pro ................................................. 155

Exploring Details Enhancer .............................................................. 156

Examining Tone Compressor ........................................................... 163

Using Photoshop ......................................................................................... 166

Chapter 9: Tone Mapping for Fun and Profi t . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .173Tone Mapping with Photomatix Pro ......................................................... 173

Getting ready to tone map ................................................................ 174

Getting started to tone map ............................................................. 174

Making and evaluating adjustments ................................................ 178

Finishing up ........................................................................................ 182

Tone Mapping in Photoshop ...................................................................... 183

An Approach to Comparing Approaches ................................................. 188

Batch-Processing Multiple Files ................................................................. 190

Batch-Processing Single Files ..................................................................... 194

Chapter 10: Layers, Process, and Blending . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .197Taking the Layers Refresher Course ......................................................... 198

The lasagna of layers ......................................................................... 198

Managing layers ................................................................................. 200

Mama Mia Methodologia ............................................................................ 202

Editing with layers ............................................................................. 202

The workfl ow (cue reveal music) .................................................... 205

And Now, Blending in 3-D ........................................................................... 212

Blending with opacity........................................................................ 212

Blending select areas......................................................................... 213

Using blending modes ....................................................................... 217

Chapter 11: Cleaning Up Your Photos. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .221Hey! Keep the Noise Down in There! ......................................................... 222

Global noise smackdown .................................................................. 222

Select and reduce............................................................................... 225

Masked reduction .............................................................................. 226

Multiple masked reduction ............................................................... 228

We Have the Technology: Cloning ............................................................ 229

Ye olde feather duster ....................................................................... 229

Removing distractions ...................................................................... 230

Fixing Lens Distortions ............................................................................... 232

Solving Color and Saturation Problems .................................................... 236

Oversaturation ................................................................................... 236

Color casts .......................................................................................... 237

Levels and Lightness ................................................................................... 239

Smoothing Rough Spots .............................................................................. 240

Turning Your Images Loose: Publishing ................................................... 241

02_560921-ftoc.indd xiv02_560921-ftoc.indd xiv 11/16/09 1:20 PM11/16/09 1:20 PM

xv Table of Contents

Part IV: Having Fun with HDR Images ....................... 247

Chapter 12: Creating Panor-Ahhh-Mas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .249Shooting Panoramas in HDR ...................................................................... 250

Processing Panoramas As HDR .................................................................. 256

Developing Raw photos in bulk ....................................................... 256

Creating an HDR master frame ......................................................... 257

Batch-processing the rest ................................................................. 258

Stitching the Elements Together ............................................................... 259

Stitching in Photoshop Elements ..................................................... 259

Blending the frames with layer masks ............................................ 263

Cropping the fi nalized image ............................................................ 266

Chapter 13: Going Old School with Black-and-White HDR . . . . . . . .269Seeing That Special Something .................................................................. 270

Emphasizing contrast ........................................................................ 270

Reveling in tone .................................................................................. 271

Solving color problems ..................................................................... 273

Focusing on the subject .................................................................... 274

Converting Early in the HDR Process ....................................................... 274

Using a Raw editor ............................................................................. 275

Desaturating while you tone map .................................................... 277

Converting a Tone Mapped HDR Image .................................................... 278

Weighing in on the grayscale ........................................................... 278

Desaturayayayayshun ....................................................................... 278

Using Convert to Black and White ................................................... 278

Using a gradient map ......................................................................... 281

Working with Photoshop .................................................................. 283

Colorizing Black-and-White Images ........................................................... 286

Using Elements to colorize ............................................................... 286

Using Photoshop to colorize ............................................................ 291

Part V: The Part of Tens ............................................ 295

Chapter 14: (More Than) Ten Ways to Shoot Better Photos for HDR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .297

Getting a Good Tripod ................................................................................ 297

Being Patient ................................................................................................ 298

Becoming a Cloud Watcher ........................................................................ 298

Taking Your Camera with You ................................................................... 299

Loving HDR Photography ........................................................................... 299

Paying Attention to Light and Time .......................................................... 300

Knowing Your Camera ................................................................................ 300

Looking for Contrast ................................................................................... 301

02_560921-ftoc.indd xv02_560921-ftoc.indd xv 11/16/09 1:20 PM11/16/09 1:20 PM

xvi High Dynamic Range Digital Photography For Dummies

Returning to the Scene ................................................................................ 302

Looking Around ........................................................................................... 303

Using AEB ..................................................................................................... 304

Shuttering with a Purpose .......................................................................... 304

Chapter 15: Ten Ways to Ruin a Good HDR Image . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .307Halos, Halos, Everywhere! .......................................................................... 307

Wimping Out on Contrast ........................................................................... 308

Imagination Smackdown ............................................................................. 310

This Isn’t Casper, The Friendly Ghost ...................................................... 311

Sharpening From Dusk ’Til Dawn .............................................................. 311

Too Much Noise Reduction Going On ....................................................... 312

Putting a Square Peg into a Round Hole ................................................... 313

Timidity on the Coloroidity ........................................................................ 314

Too Much HDR ............................................................................................. 314

Overreacting to Criticism ........................................................................... 316

Index ....................................................................... 319

02_560921-ftoc.indd xvi02_560921-ftoc.indd xvi 11/16/09 1:20 PM11/16/09 1:20 PM

Introduction

High dynamic range (HDR) digital photography is a technical and artistic

leap forward from traditional photography. It has become so popular

because it solves a lot of photographic exposure problems and, in the end,

looks really cool. Images captured and processed with HDR techniques con-

tain a much wider range of light than standard photos.

Normally, shadows and bright areas in a single photo are linked. For example,

if you set your camera to lighten shadows in a landscape, the sky gets too

bright. If you turn down the exposure so the sky looks good, details are lost

in the darker areas of the photo. Although you can push and pull exposure

in software, there is a practical limit to what looks good because you literally

run out of data.

HDR increases the amount of data by using more than one source photo.

You take the photos through a process called bracketing. Each photo in the

bracketed set has a different brightness. Special software combines the

photos and allows you to control how the end result looks. When it’s all

said and done, you have a lot of control over that look. You can choose to

emphasize realism, details, contrast, artistry, drama, and more.

About This BookWhether you’re coming to HDR because you love photography and want to

expand your skill set, you’re taking a photography class and have to com-

plete a project on HDR, you’re trying to impress your girlfriend or boyfriend,

or you have a new camera and want to do something special with it, this

book is for you.

This book covers the big picture aspects, workflow suggestions, small picture

items, tips, notes, steps, thoughts, photos, and more — all designed to show

you how HDR works, and how to shoot it, process it, and finish your images.

Who This Book Is ForYou’re a perfect match for this book if you want information on HDR. The

subject is HDR, from beginning to end. Topics include what HDR is, what

you need, how to shoot it, how to process it, and how to edit and finish

your images.

03_560921-intro.indd 103_560921-intro.indd 1 11/16/09 1:20 PM11/16/09 1:20 PM

2 High Dynamic Range Digital Photography For Dummies

In terms of content, this book is for beginners to more advanced

photographers — amateurs and professionals. I don’t write from a scien-

tific, technical, or otherwise overly nerdy perspective. Frankly, you don’t

need to know the exact dynamic range of your compact digital camera or

dSLR to know that in practice, it isn’t enough. You don’t need to know how

many bits you need or why 12-bit sensors have 4,096 steps of tonal discrim-

ination. That said, I don’t intend this book to be strictly for new and inex-

perienced users. There’s room to grow and room to step in if you already

know your way around a dSLR.

Although the content ranges from beginner to advanced material (I would

call using a light meter to set the end points of a bracketed series of shots

advanced material), the book is written so beginners don’t get overwhelmed.

I make it a point to explain and buffer the material so inexperienced photog-

raphers have a chance, but I don’t alter the content unnecessarily to exclude

more advanced photogs.

What You NeedIf you want to dive in and start shooting HDR, you want to have a few things

handy (see Chapters 2 and 3 for more details):

✓ Camera: If you have a compact digital camera with exposure control,

you’re set. It helps (although not required) to have a dSLR with a nice

wide angle lens.

✓ Tripod: If you have a fast dSLR, you can get by without a tripod occa-

sionally. Tripods are necessary, though, to stabilize your camera when

you’re shooting brackets.

✓ Computer: HDR requires that you have a computer. It can be Mac or

Windows (or Unix, but I don’t really go there), desktop or laptop.

✓ Software: The least you need is an HDR application. Go online and

download a trial version to get started, and buy it if you like it. Other

photo-editing software, such as Photoshop Elements, is invaluable when

it comes to editing and publishing but not strictly required for HDR.

Foolish AssumptionsHDR pulls together a lot of different elements from photography and photo

editing. That makes it impossible to cover every aspect of HDR from the

ground up in this book — how to use a dSLR, photography, Raw conversion

and editing, digital image manipulation in general (Photoshop Elements in

particular), and participating in online photo forums like Flickr.


3 Introduction

In writing this book, I made some assumptions about you, the reader:

✓ You know how to use your camera. You can enter different shooting

modes, take photos, and download them to your computer. The more

knowledge and practical experience you have (up to a point), the better.

✓ You can do some basic tasks with photo editing software. You’ve used

a photo editor (such as Elements), and you’re comfortable doing some

basic editing: adjusting brightness/contrast, cropping, and resizing.

Whys and WhereforesThis is where I explain some of the hard decisions I made about the book and

how I approached it:

✓ Why Photomatix Pro? It’s the leading HDR application, and a very good

one, which is why I chose it to show you how to generate HDR images

and tone map them. (In Chapter 3, I provide reviews and links to many

other HDR applications and encourage you to test them out for yourself.)

✓ Why Photoshop Elements? It’s the leading consumer-level photo editing

suite. It’s good and gets the job done. It is more limited than Photoshop,

but more accessible (and much less expensive).

For users of other products (such as Corel Paint Shop Pro Photo), the

techniques I show are still valuable and as portable as I could make

them. However, some tasks and tools might need a bit of translation.

✓ Why dSLRs? Gotcha. This is a trick question. I’ve gone out of my way

to avoid assuming everyone who reads this book is using a dSLR. I use

a dSLR most of the time, but I also use two compact digital cameras to

show that if you can point and shoot with it, you can shoot HDR with it.

So, everyone can play; just bring what you have.

How This Book Is OrganizedHDR isn’t rocket science. You take pictures. You transmogrify pictures. You

edit and publish the pictures. That makes sense, so it’s the order I chose to

organize the information contained in this book. HDR jumps around a bit

from photography to software, so knowing where you are in the book can

also help you keep your bearings in the realm of HDR.

The book has lots of elements designed to help you navigate between parts,

which contain information related to the same basic topic. Chapters deal

with specific topics. You can also use the Table of Contents or Index to find

exactly what you want.



Part I: The ABCs of HDR PhotographyPart I is about getting started. If you know nothing about HDR, start here. If

you already have some idea or have even started experimenting with HDR,

this part gives you a lot of good information on workflow, cameras, gear, and

software options. There’s something for everyone.

Find out what HDR is, what it looks like, and how to go about it. Discover

what photography gear you need and why. Find out what gear is beneficial

but not required. Explore different software options for HDR, such as dedi-

cated HDR software, image management, Raw conversion, and image editing

applications.

Part II: Putting the Photography in HDR PhotographyPart II is all about taking photos. Discover how to find the scenes to maximize

the benefits of HDR and set up your camera to shoot HDR photos. Discover

several different techniques to meter and shoot exposure bracketed photos.

Find out when to break the rules and take single Raw photos to use as

pseudo-HDR.

Part III: The Soft(er)ware Side of HDRPart III turns to the software side of HDR, where the photos are turned into

HDR images, tone mapped, edited, and published. These are technical and

artistic processes that require specialized software — and guess who has

to know how to use it. That’s right: You. It goes beyond using it, of course,

because you surely want to create something nice to look at.

This part is also about taking what comes out of the “tone mapper,” making it

look as good as it can, and finishing it. I show you layers; workflow; blending;

correcting contrast, removing dust, distortion, noise, and other distractions;

and more. You also discover the importance of consistency, sharpening,

enhancing color, contrast, dodging and burning, recomposing, and finally,

publishing your images. Pshew!

Part IV: Having Fun with HDR ImagesAnd now for some fun! This part covers some interesting and potentially

challenging ways to go even further with HDR photography. You find out

how to photograph the pieces of a panorama, and then stitch them together

to create a seamless composite. You also discover how to take color photos

with a digital camera and turn them into black-and-white HDR images. (Black

and white can be a great way to showcase some of your photos and create

powerful, dramatic shots.)


5 Introduction

Part V: The Part of TensMany For Dummies fans (myself included) eagerly look forward to leafing

through the Part of Tens. That’s why I held nothing back: no filler here. I

strove for practical ideas that I expect to stimulate your thinking. This part

is a resource you can turn to again and again for ideas on how to take better

photos for HDR and how to avoid ruining them. Sounds like fun!

Icons Used in This BookI use the following icons throughout the book to make certain information

stand out from the rest. If you want a fun (and different) experience, leaf

through the book and focus on one type of icon at a time.

Tips are fun. They’re practical. They’re helpful. I include as many as I can

get away with to try and share my experiences with you. They normally con-

tain what I think is the best way to do something, or perhaps a road to avoid.

Tips — making your life easier, one step at a time (cue goofy music).

Remember icons highlight helpful bits of information — things for you to

remember. It’s sort of like a Star Trek mind meld from Spock in the Wrath of Kahn. Remember.

When I have to include some technical information, I warn you with these

icons. You don’t have to memorize them or understand what’s going on to

accomplish the task at hand, but they make interesting background reading.

If this were Snake Charming For Dummies or Nitroglycerine For Dummies,

Warning icons would literally be life-preserving suggestions. As it is, you

should pay attention to Warning icons because they will save you time and

frustration if you heed them. I have tried to keep them to a minimum. When

you see one, read it.

Where to Go from HereYou can read this book back to front, sideways, inside out, or from the first

to the last page. If you’re completely new to all aspects of HDR, I suggest you

follow the basic order of the chapters, but feel free to jump around whenever

you want to.



If you have questions about the book or HDR, you can contact me by one of

the methods in the following list. Visit my Web site and Flickr photostream to

see what I’m up to and get to know me. I can’t guarantee immediate service

or a 15-minute e-mail turnaround, but I will do what I can to answer your

questions and make your experience with this book and HDR more enjoyable.

✓ E-mail: [email protected]

✓ Web site: www.robertcorrell.com

✓ Flickr: www.flickr.com/photos/36292761@N03

✓ Twitter: http://twitter.com/RobertCorrell


Part IThe ABCs of HDR

Photography

04_560921-pp01.indd 704_560921-pp01.indd 7 11/16/09 1:21 PM11/16/09 1:21 PM

In this part . . .

Hey, you have to start somewhere. This is the place to fi nd out what HDR is, how it differs

from traditional photography, and what you need to get started.

Chapter 1 gets you started. You’ll see HDR in action and look at several examples of “before and after” photos to see why there’s such a fuss over HDR. I sneak in some macro-level HDR workfl ow on you, too. Chapter 2 is where you fi nd out what you need to have in terms of photography gear (cameras, lenses, tripods, levels, plus a lot of other stuff), what each item brings to HDR, and why you should consider buying it. Chapter 3, being the third chapter, is the chapter that brings the software side of HDR into focus. I walk you through the different types of software that enable you to create HDR images on your computer and help you edit or manage them. I also review some HDR-specifi c applications.


1Shining a Light on HDR

In This Chapter▶ Understanding the HDR process

▶ Diving into a basic workflow

▶ Seeing examples of HDR images

▶ Becoming infected with excitement

Rather than start this book with a pedantic definition of high dynamic

range (HDR) photography followed by a technical treatise on why digi-

tal camera sensors don’t capture the actual range of light in most scenes, I

want you to see it in action. After all, HDR photography is first and foremost

about the photos.

Déjà vu alert: HDR photography is about the photos.

The technical information behind why HDR has been

developed may or may not be meaningful to you down

the road, but you can’t be expected to make the deci-

sion to jump into HDR photography on the basis

of bit depths, contrast ratios, and sensor noise. I

haven’t left you high and dry though. There are as

many HDR images and examples throughout the

book that I could fit in to help you see the HDR dif-

ference and decide whether or not you want to try

it out.

You need to see HDR in action and examine the types

of images you can create with it. Afterward, if you want

to know why a 12-bit sensor can capture only 4,096 levels

of gray and how that’s insufficient for most scenes, you’ll be

able to put that into practical perspective.

This chapter, then, shines the light on HDR with a little bit of show and tell.

05_560921-ch01.indd 905_560921-ch01.indd 9 11/16/09 1:22 PM11/16/09 1:22 PM

10 Part I: The ABCs of HDR Photography

Peeking inside the HDR ProcessHDR photography is an exercise in capturing more light than your camera

wants to. As I show you throughout this chapter, today’s digital cameras

have a problem with dark darks and bright brights in the same scene.

It throws them a bit wacky. “Traditional” pictures often don’t tell the

whole story.

HDR photography — also called HDR imaging (HDRI) — is a two-tiered

process that attempts to

1. Capture as much of the true

dynamic range of a scene as

practical (or possible, or artisti-

cally desirable).

2. Process the result with special-

ized software to produce an

image file that can be printed

and viewed using standard

graphics, Web, and publishing

software.

Figure 1-1 is an example of what you

can create with HDR.

HDR photography is not monolithic.

A number of caveats, disclaimers,

and personal preferences affect the

process of HDR in all areas. However,

certain established aspects of HDR

make it HDR.

The twin peaks of HDRAs I just mentioned, HDR photography is a twofold process. You take pic-

tures; you process pictures. Everything revolves around or is a part of these

two activities. Each pillar (to continue mixing metaphors) builds a different

part of the foundation:

✓ Photography: HDR photography isn’t something you can do from the

confines of your office chair or Barcalounger. It begins with photogra-

phy. Without pictures, you don’t have HDR. However, you don’t have to

Figure 1-1: Turn mundane into amazing.


11 Chapter 1: Shining a Light on HDR

travel to exotic places to shoot. You can exploit HDR to its fullest with

landscape, architecture, and everyday subjects easily found in your own

backyard and local community.

For more information on setting up your camera and taking pictures,

please see Chapters 4–6, plus Chapter 12.

✓ Software processing: HDR relies on a combination of software; some are

specific to HDR, and some serve more general purposes as well as help-

ing you create HDR. Without software processing, you don’t have HDR.

For more information on the software aspects of HDR, please see

Chapters 7–11.

Going with the (work)flowHDR photography can be somewhat confusing if you aren’t familiar with the

basic flow of events. In general, here is what you dutifully do when you do

the HDR you do and the order that you do it in.

1. Take the photos.

This is the first, and arguably most important, step in HDR. Don’t be con-

tent with average photos. Take good or even great photos.

Much of the time, you’ll set your camera on a tripod at the scene of

your choice and take a series of exposure bracketed photos. Bracketing

means you take a few pictures with different exposure values without

moving the camera, resulting in a series of bracketed photos. The suc-

cession of Figure 1-2 shows an example of bracketing. You can see from

these three brackets that each one preserves an important part of the

overall dynamic range of the scene. This is pretty important. Although

the under- and overexposed photos aren’t pretty to look at, the HDR

application uses the information from all the brackets to sense what

each part of the scene actually looks like. HDR software works with all

the information you can give it.

If your camera is fast enough, you might be able to take bracketed

photos without a tripod. This is called hand-held HDR.

The exception to bracketing is when you take one Raw photo for use in

single-exposure HDR. Raw photos are best to work with, but JPEGs can

also produce good results.

2. Do Raw photo preprocessing.

For the highest quality results, convert Raw photos to TIFFs before pro-

ceeding with HDR.



Figure 1-2: Bracketed photos capture more light.



3. Generate an HDR image in HDR software.

HDR software merges the bracketed photos into a single HDR image that

serves no practical purpose other than to turn into something else.

4. Tone map the HDR image in HDR software.

By itself, the HDR image isn’t worth much. Until everyone is using HDR

monitors and printers, you have to tone map (the process of deciding

what data from the original photos is kept in the final image and making

sure it fits) the HDR image to convert HDR data into a low dynamic range

space.

Yes, you do all these steps to get back where you started — a low

dynamic range image — kinda. The key difference is that this image was

created from a much wider range of original data, making completely dif-

ferent and beautiful processing options available.

5. Finish with post-HDR processing.

The image you just tone mapped often needs further attention. For

example, it might have noise problems, or need straightened or

cropped. You might also wish to convert your image to black and white,

or otherwise embellish it by adjusting levels, tweaking the contrast, or

dodging and burning.

6. Publish the image.

You can see the result in Figure 1-3. The final product was a result of

photography and software skills applied to capture and present an inter-

esting view down a major street with traffic barreling down on me just

like you were there with me.

Figure 1-3: The final product.



HDR Show and TellThe most effective way to show you the practical benefits of HDR digital

photography is for you to see what photos look like before and after being

processed as HDR. You’ll discover a little bit of the why along the way, with

the rest of the book completing the picture. I chose several types of scenes to

illustrate the breadth and depth of HDR, ranging from interiors to sunsets to

my son to a soap bubble. Here, let me show you.

Rescuing details from shadowsOne of the things HDR is meant to do is bring details out of shadowy areas.

The photo in Figure 1-4 looks west at sunset. The sky is reasonably light, and

you can make out the clouds and the glow from the sun. These elements also

reflect off the water of the river in the foreground.

Figure 1-4: A sunset with a dark foreground.

Unfortunately, the trees, riverbank, and details of the building are all in

shadow. The camera can’t capture enough dynamic range — the total range

of light in a scene — to accurately represent it. Standing there, the actual

scene was much brighter. The disconnect between reality and the photo-

graph is that digital still cameras do not see scenes the way our eyes do.

The reasons cameras have limited dynamic range are many. Camera manu-

facturers are currently unable (due to the fact that not everything is possi-

ble) or unwilling (they have to stay in business so not everything that is

possible is practical) to cross scientific, technical, design, and manufacturing

barriers, including



✓ The bit depth the sensor uses to store data

✓ The inherent noise level of the camera system and how it affects the sen-

sor’s ability to measure light

✓ How digital systems simply react to light differently than our eyes do

The effect, more often than not, is that a camera compromises when it mea-

sures the exposure of a scene. It has to. In this case, rather than make the sky

too bright, the camera made it just bright enough and relegated the rest of

the scene to the shadows.

Figure 1-5 shows the same scene in HDR. Notice the huge difference across

the photo, particularly in the previously dark areas. The trees are now clearly

green. The sky and clouds have more definition and the building has discern-

able details. Much better!

The secret to creating the new look is twofold. First, HDR photography cap-

tures a much wider range of exposure information using brackets. This gives

the software much more information to use. Highlights that are normally too

bright are captured so they aren’t overblown. The same goes for shadows. In

software, you tone map the source material (which has too wide a range of

brightness to display or use as a standard image), squeeze it so it fits in a stan-

dard image, and make creative decisions that define the relative brightness of

parts of the scene. After this, you can make other adjustments and enhance-

ments (such as brightness, contrast, color, noise, sharpness, recomposing,

cropping, and resizing) in a photo editor such as Photoshop Elements.

Figure 1-5: In the same sunset shot, HDR brightens the shadows.



This example illustrates a few interesting points:

✓ Losing the low end of dynamic range: Digital cameras often lose details

in shadows. This is caused by the camera’s inability to capture the full

range of light in a scene. This range is called dynamic range.

✓ Compromises: Cameras make compromises on what to expose well and

what to let go. You can help the situation by metering the scene and

subject correctly — but scenes with a wide dynamic range can’t be faith-

fully captured by today’s cameras.

✓ Rescuing details from shadows: HDR photography allows you to pull

meaningful information out of shadows so the areas are brighter.

Taming highlightsAnother strength of HDR is the ability to tame highlights, which are often blown out in traditional photos — that is, the camera ran out of room to store bright-

ness information. When that happens, the camera sensor throws its hands up

in the air and exclaims, “¡No más!” The blown areas have very little detail and

may be completely white, as in the sky of the left image in Figure 1-6.

Figure 1-6: Lucy in the sky, with brightness.



In the left image, the street, bridge, and lamppost in the foreground are all

decently exposed although not perfectly — they are, along with the trees, a

bit dark. The sky is the bigger problem: It suffers from being mostly dead —

that is, blown out. It’s too light to see many details, especially over the build-

ing to the right.

The camera got caught in the middle. It ended up favoring the foreground

(although imperfectly) and therefore blew out the sky.

However, the same scene shot and processed as HDR is shown on the right

side of Figure 1-6. It is overwhelmingly better. In particular, the sky has many

more details and is no longer washed out. The brackets provide the informa-

tion and the HDR application uses them to access and manipulate the data.

The clouds are dramatic, and the contrast between clouds and sky is much

more interesting. This particular look — somewhat dramatic with plenty

of surface details — was achieved during tone mapping, which is covered

in Chapters 8 and 9. The trees are nice and bright, and the texture of the

concrete bridge has been enhanced. The latter points used many of the edit-

ing techniques shown in Chapters 10 and 11. In particular, the tree line was

dodged — a process that selectively lightens an area.

This shot reveals

✓ The high end of dynamic range: Normal photos often lose information

to blown highlights. When the camera exposes the shadows brighter,

highlights get blown out. It’s a no-win situation.

✓ Rescuing details from blown highlights: HDR tames highlights and pre-

serves important information. It allows you to emphasize details and con-

trast while preserving the entire scene. The entire photo looks better.

Making the most of interior spacesHDR is perfectly suited for interior spaces — and the larger the better. Figure

1-7 illustrates the sanctuary of a large church lit with overhead room chande-

liers, a few spots on the stage, and ambient light coming in from the windows.

This is a great example of a compromised exposure. The camera is doing the

best it can, but it is stuck in the middle. The result is a dark looking room

that should be brighter and bright areas around the lights and windows that

should be the same or darker. It is the worst of both worlds.

And neither of the following two courses of action, illustrated in Figure 1-8,

are attractive:

✓ Dinged if you do: Raising the ISO or slowing the shutter speed to make

the room brighter (raising the exposure) only serves to blow out the

highlights even more, as you can see in the left side of Figure 1-8. Rigging



additional lighting to brighten the room would either be too expensive

or cumbersome, not to mention that you couldn’t possibly hide the

lighting gear from this vantage point.

✓ Donked if you don’t: Protecting the highlights around the chandeliers

and windows requires decreasing the exposure. The problem is that

everything that already looks a bit on the dark side slides further into

darkness if you do that. Check out the right side of Figure 1-8. You are

left with a picture of a few bright spots in a dark room.

Figure 1-7: Inside a large space with no extra lighting.

Overexposed Underexposed

Figure 1-8: Two exposures show the horns of the dilemma.



HDR solves both these problems nicely, as shown in Figure 1-9. The entire

room looks brighter and more vibrant, and the light from the windows has

not overpowered the photo. In other words, the best parts of each of the

bracketed photos contributes to the final image. The decisions you make that

control how this occurs is what tone mapping (Chapters 8 and 9) is all about.

Although some post-HDR processing techniques helped achieve this effect,

tone mapping is the single greatest contributor to the overall appearance of

this image.

Figure 1-9: HDR solves this exposure problem.

Tone whating?It’s impossible to talk about HDR without touch-ing on tone mapping, because that’s what gives each HDR image a unique look. In HDR, you create an HDR image from bracketed photos first (see Chapter 7). Much more brightness data is stored (you know, what’s in the shadows and what’s in the highlights) in an HDR image than is possible in standard image formats like JPEG or TIFF (even a 16-bit per channel TIFF). That makes an HDR image impractical to use. You can’t view it properly on your monitor or

print it out. So, you have to tone map it (see Chapters 8 and 9).

Tone mapping occurs in HDR software. Different applications handle it differently, but the general principle is that you control how data from the HDR image gets put into a low dynamic range format. You get to choose specific tone mapping settings that can create entirely different looks in different images. The end result is a TIFF or JPEG — something you can continue to edit in a graphics program, publish, or print.



This photo shows you

✓ Flexibility: HDR can work in situations where extra lighting is needed to

achieve a better exposure. This is especially helpful for large buildings

(which are impossible to light without owning a movie company), land-

scapes, cityscapes, and large interiors.

✓ Color: When more of the scene’s dynamic range is present, brought to

you by HDR, its true colors are free to come out. This is far preferable to

the dull original.

✓ Post-HDR processing: It’s often important to continue to edit a tone

mapped HDR image to create a finished product. Even with bracketing

and tone mapping, the windows were still a bit too bright. An under-

exposed bracket was used to tone down the windows even more. That

option would not be available without the brackets.

Enhancing detailsHDR works well for large scenes, but it also enhances smaller subjects that

have lots of detail. Figure 1-10 shows the ceiling in the lobby of the historic

Tower Bank in Fort Wayne, Indiana. You can see potential here. The top part

of the figure hints that underneath the dullness, there promises to be an

interesting work of art. Hints of color and detail are tantalizingly close to the

surface, yet the local details are ill-defined, and the texture and colors are

monotonous.

What often gets lost in the rush to say how much more dynamic range is cap-

tured by HDR is the fact that it accentuates textures so beautifully. You’ll find

it works wonders on wood, brick, stone, rust, gravel, and yes, even animal fur.

HDR brings out the subtlety and small nuances with a sledgehammer, as seen

in the bottom part of Figure 1-10. It’s fascinating, intriguing, compelling, and

telling. It’s shocking, I tell you. Shocking.

HDR uses exposure information gathered from a range of photos to enhance

the local contrast so you can see the true details. These details aren’t made

up. This isn’t a visual or processing trick. They are actually there, but tradi-

tional digital photography has a hard time finding them.

✓ Details: Poorly exposed photos lacking in dynamic range hide details

that are often visible with the naked eye.

✓ Details!: HDR removes the “haze” from the original photo by capturing

more light than the original. This brings out intricate and fascinating

details. Contrast enhancements accentuate texture differences.

✓ Details!!: Colors shine when let loose by HDR. Tonal variations are much

more visible.



Figure 1-10: Details explode out of HDR.

Working wonders with peopleMost people think of landscapes, cityscapes, and other photos of inanimate

objects when they think of HDR. I want to challenge you to try it with people

as your subject(s).

It’s not the same as traditional HDR because you don’t capture a series of

photos. You shoot a single Raw photo. This is because it is impractical or

impossible to get people to sit motionless. My kids barely stay in one spot for

1/500 of a second without moving!

What makes this possible are Raw photos and a little bit of trickery. Take

a good photo in Raw (not JPEG) and send that through your HDR software

as if it were a bracketed set and then tone map the result. You can create



your own brackets from the single Raw photo and send those to your

HDR application if you like. (Flip over to Chapters 6 and 7 for information

on this.)

In the end, you’re not increasing the dynamic range of your camera by shoot-

ing multiple shots. However, you do end up with something that looks very

close to HDR.

This process has alternatively been called pseudo-HDR, single-exposure HDR, or simply tone mapping a low dynamic range image. Whatever you call it,

here’s an example. The left side of Figure 1-11 illustrates a reasonably good

JPEG of one of my sons, straight out of the camera. It’s a good portrait, but

the sun is shining on his face from the left side. It’s a classic case of the

dreaded face shadow.

The original Raw exposure was processed through the Sony Image Data

Converter five times to create five images with different exposures, from dark

to light. This Raw converter enables you to save Sony Raw photos as JPEGs

or TIFFs after you make adjustments to lighting, contrast, color, sharpness,

and noise — see Chapter 7 for more information on Raw conversion. This

process squeezes every bit of dynamic range in the photo to the surface.

Figure 1-11: Harsh shadows often plague portraits.

Converting single exposures to brackets doesn’t increase the dynamic range

of the original, but it does bring out the entire range of exposure information

more for you to see it better.



Those images were processed as HDR and tone mapped. The result is shown

in the right side of Figure 1-11. Apart from the entire photo looking better and

more vibrant, the shadows on the face are less distracting.

This example illustrates

✓ People problems: Cameras often have a

hard time photographing people without a

flash or additional lighting. This normally

results in backlit subjects or shadows that

cross the face. If you use a flash, you pay for

it with harsh shadows and blazingly bright

foreheads such as the nearby figure (and

yes, I’ve got all sorts of bad shots in my

photo archives waiting to be published).

✓ HDR and people: HDR can work with

people. If you let the tone mapping controls

like Strength and Smoothing (you’ll get to

them in Chapters 8 and 9) get out of hand,

the person may look horrible. A fine touch, however, will reward you

with a more vibrant photo than the original.

✓ Single-exposure HDR: Although not technically HDR (because you’re

only shooting one limited dynamic range photo), you can use single Raw

exposures as source images for pseudo-HDR.

Within and withoutDuring a nice, brightly lit day, take your camera and go to a room where you

work or live that has a window in it. Without using a flash or any other expo-

sure aids, try to take a photograph where the inside and the outside are both

properly exposed. Turn the inside lights off and on to see whether it makes a

difference. Put the camera in Auto mode or use different metering and expo-

sure strategies if you like.

You’re not going to have much success, especially if you don’t use some seri-

ous interior lighting to balance the brightness of the interior with the outside.

The problem is again dynamic range, pure and simple. Today’s digital cam-

eras can’t capture a dim interior and a bright exterior without messing some-

thing up, as shown in Figure 1-12.

In this case, both areas suffer. As you can see on the left side of Figure 1-12,

the outside is blown out with details barely visible. The inside is completely

dark. You would think I was standing in a dark room photographing the sur-

face of the sun through the revolving door! Nothing could be further from

the truth.



Figure 1-12: Seeing inside and out with HDR.

Your eyes don’t see this, of course. What you see in person is a well-balanced

scene with a high dynamic range. If you were standing there, the room would

look normally lit. The outside would look normal. Or, to put it another way,

you see something like the right side of Figure 1-12, which is the scene in

HDR. (It is perhaps artistically embellished a smidgen, but not so much as to

make it unrecognizable.)

I hope you can see that

✓ Cameras struggle with inside-out shots. The dynamic range in this

example, from a darker but well-lit interior to a very bright exterior, is

huge. It’s impossible to capture the entire range of this scene in one digi-

tal photograph.

✓ Reality is not always well represented. Traditional photographs aren’t

necessarily a good indicator of reality, despite what some people will

tell you. If you doubt that, find a location like this and compare what you

see with your eyes to a photograph.

Feeding your starving inner artistHDR excels at many things and certainly solves a great number of common

exposure and dynamic range problems. That satisfies those people who think

with the right side of their brains. Another group (they often cross over),

however, shoot HDR just because it looks cool. These people aren’t con-

strained by a rigid set of rules or procedures: They’re artists.



The left image in Figure 1-13 is a photograph of a bubble, floating in the

breeze. The camera wasn’t set up on a tripod, and bracketed exposures

weren’t taken. It’s not necessarily the greatest scene for HDR.

What this base photo has going for it, though, is that it’s an interesting picture.

Even as a traditional photo, it pulls you in. The problem is, you want more.

Figure 1-13: A bubble shot in Raw format and transformed.

The right image of Figure 1-13 is the “more.” The result illustrates how capti-

vating HDR can be — even when relying on a single exposure.

This photo benefits from parts of the HDR process just like the other exam-

ples in this chapter. The details of the bubble are clean and clear because the

software accentuates the contrast between different bands of the bubble. In

addition, the colors are much more vibrant.

This example shows

✓ Left brain: HDR doesn’t always have to be the solution to a problem.

Sometimes it can just be artistic.

✓ Right brain: There are important technical facets of HDR, and even an

artistic expression can serve a logical purpose.

✓ All skate: There’s room for us all. It’s a big tent. Come on in!



Getting Excited about HDR PhotographyThere’s a lot to HDR photography. One of the things that makes it most inter-

esting is that it has elements that appeal to whatever side of your brain you

use most, or both. If you’re a technically minded photographer, HDR offers you

a serious tool to pursue all the dynamic range you can shake a stick at. If you

want to shoot HDR because it looks cool, you’re in good company, too. HDR

also has the depth to interest artists and craftsmen, dreamers and realists.

As you continue to discover HDR photography, consider where you want to

take it and how to get there. These topics are a good place to start:

✓ Deciding what you want to create: Think about what you like to shoot,

how much effort you want to put into it, and what generally floats your

boat. Let your passion for photography guide you into HDR, and don’t

be afraid to diversify your interests.

✓ Discovering your comfort level: HDR photography should fit within the

boundaries of your life. That doesn’t mean you should take it easy and

not push yourself. It means you don’t have to let it take over your life.

Given certain adjustments, HDR should fit within the time and money

parameters that you set. Decide what level of effort makes you happy,

and then get out there and do it!

✓ Costing it out: Taking digital photos costs very little. Compared with

ye olden days, you don’t have to buy rolls of film and pay to have the

photos developed. That alone makes today’s pursuit of photography

very enjoyable. Take 2,000 photos over a weekend if you want to!

You do, however, have to buy a camera, memory cards, batteries, other

gear, and have a computer and the software to make HDR work.

✓ Defining your workflow: Workflow is a buzzword in the digital photo

world, and for good reason. It just buzzes. Bzzzzz. Bzzzz. There is a

distinct workflow to HDR (shown in this chapter and in the basic organi-

zation of this book), but within the overall framework, there are plenty

of options (details of which are contained throughout). Find what is

comfortable for you.

✓ Experimenting: Don’t get yourself too tied down to a particular way

of doing things to the exclusion of all others. Experiment. Try different

lenses, approaches, techniques, styles. Stay fresh!

✓ Growing: Did you know that growth is a growth industry? Yeah, it’s fun

to grow. It exercises your brain and keeps you happy. Whether you’re

picking up HDR at 9 or 90, you can grow with HDR.


2Gearing Up for HDR

In This Chapter▶ Doing your research

▶ Checking out the various types of cameras

▶ Looking at lenses

▶ Discovering tripods

▶ Buying other odds and ends

HDR photography is easy to get into and fun to grow with. You don’t

need a whole lot to get started. In fact, the least you need is a digital

camera that allows you to control the exposure and an inexpensive tripod.

That’s it!

And now for the fine print.

The catch is, not everything is equal. You can get started

with a pretty inexpensive compact digital camera and

a little tripod, but you won’t have the same flexibil-

ity, nor will you be able to consistently achieve the

same image quality as a more professional camera

and accessories. (The consolation prize for being

economical is saving from a few hundred to many

thousands of dollars.)

More capable cameras can even shoot HDR without

a tripod. There are a million-and-one camera and

gear choices out there. If you’re buying new, take the

information in this chapter and use it to start off in the

right direction. It’s a very powerful feeling to stand in a

camera shop, fully informed, knowing what you need while

you test different cameras (that you have read up on beforehand).



If you already have a camera but don’t shoot HDR, find out what your options

are before running out to get a new model. Maybe you can use what you

have and grow into HDR. You’ll be better informed when you plan your next

purchase.

Either way, it’s time to explore all things gear, and gear is what you’re going

to hear here.

Knowledge Is Power: Researching and Shopping for the Right Equipment

Use every tool at your disposal to investigate the general types of gear you’re

interested in, and then zero in on specific makes and models. This chapter

gives you a good start on choosing the types of gear you need, so I mention

only a few specific models. Keep in mind, too, that because many products

work differently, this book can’t take the place of a manual dedicated to your

specific equipment.

When you’re shopping for equipment, use the Internet! Go to manufacturers’

Web sites and look through their product lines to research camera specifica-

tions. Compare and contrast. Price your options. Shop for other gear, too,

and read reviews.

One word of caution on reviews: You don’t know why a person might hate or

love a piece of gear. Maybe the reviewer is an idiot, doesn’t have any talent,

didn’t read the manual, or learn how to use the camera or gear effectively.

Maybe the reviewer is a paid professional who gets a kickback. Maybe the

review is a genuine, honest assessment of the gear. You never can tell, so

always read more than one review before deciding whether a particular

model is right for you.

If your camera has an online manual, download it and read it. Hint: You’ll

enjoy the ability to magnify it onscreen much larger than the tiny print in the

one that comes with your camera.

Make friends at your local camera shop. Having a human connection can

often make the difference between getting the right gear for you and wasting

time and money on something that doesn’t fit your needs. They don’t expect

you to buy everything from them, but they’ll surely appreciate your business.

It’s important to have a plan. To create that plan you need to know what

HDR is (here and throughout the book), see different cameras, learn about

optional gear, and know how each piece of gear will contribute to your ability

to create HDR images.


29 Chapter 2: Gearing Up for HDR

Looking at Hand-Held Photon Capture Devices (Err, Cameras)

Choosing your camera is the best place to begin when you’re buying equip-

ment for HDR photography. The following sections look at the different

camera types and what they bring to the table.

HDR is about controlling and manipulating exposure. You must control expo-

sure to shoot bracketed photos of a scene, as shown in Figure 2-1. To compli-

cate things, there are a number of different ways to control exposure. Some

are obvious, and others are less so.

Brackets Final HDR photo

Figure 2-1: Control exposure to achieve bracketing.

Different cameras tend to have different methods and modes of exposure

control. (If you aren’t familiar with some of the camera or exposure terms in

the following list, check out Chapter 4.) You need to investigate whether the

camera you want to buy (or the camera you have) has at least one of the fol-

lowing exposure controls:

✓ Manual exposure mode: You won’t necessarily be looking for a new

camera with manual mode for HDR (look for a good AEB feature

instead). If you’re dusting off a camera you already have, manual mode

makes it HDR-compatible. The only drawback is shooting speed.

✓ Auto Exposure Bracketing (AEB): Using AEB frees you from turning

dials and changing the exposure in the middle of a bracketed set. The

camera does all the work for you. (Cough: hence, the term auto.)

This is what you want to look for in a camera to shoot HDR. AEB is the

fastest way to shoot brackets. Not all AEB is created equal, however.

Cameras with AEB that shoot a total range of at least +/– 5.0 EV for the

bracketed set give you good exposure coverage. Some take more photos

with a larger exposure difference between them and some take less.

Bottom line: If you have AEB, you’re in for faster, accurate, less stressful

HDR photography than any other method.



✓ Exposure compensation: This method of shooting HDR turns virtually

any camera into an HDR machine. In other words, you can take the inex-

pensive compact digital you already have and start shooting HDR with

it right now — you don’t have to run out and buy a new camera until

you’re ready.

You need only one of the features in the preceding list to shoot bracketed

HDR. Some cameras have all three, and some have one or two. Others poorly

implement some combination or another.

Notice something missing from the preceding list? How about the Raw file

format? It’s not the least you need to have, although it helps. Raw photos give

you greater control, more dynamic range, and more upside. However, you can

use plain ol’ JPEGs for HDR. The only time you must have Raw photos is when

you want to shoot single-shot HDR, which is covered more fully in Chapter 6.

Inexpensive compact camerasCompact digital cameras (sometimes called digital point-and-shoot cameras) are

the cheapest entry into HDR. You can buy one for about $100 and start your

HDR career without having to get a second mortgage on your home.

Here are some models that can fit

the bill. The Nikon Coolpix S220 and

Canon PowerShot A480 can shoot

HDR by using exposure compensa-

tion. The Panasonic Lumix LZ8 is a

little older, but it features manual

mode and AEB. Figure 2-2 shows

what you can achieve using this

Panasonic model.

You can take great photos and have

fun with HDR with any of these cam-

eras. The key to buying a compact

digital camera that can handle HDR

photography is to know what you’re

getting and knowing the camera’s

limitations.

To repeat, with compacts that fea-

ture manual modes and even auto

bracketing, you’re set. You can’t

take action shots or hand-held HDR

because the frame rate is too slow,

and you won’t have Raw photos to

use for single-shot HDR. Figure 2-2: You can certainly get great shots with an inexpensive camera.



If your camera doesn’t have a manual mode or AEB, don’t worry — all is not

lost. The Exposure Compensation feature on most (if not all) digital cameras

offers you a workaround for automatic controls to change shutter speed,

which is how you shoot manual brackets.

The benefits you’ll find if you use a compact digital camera:

✓ Compact: Compact digital cameras are easy to carry, hold, store, and

shoot normal photos with “point and shoot” ease (HDR isn’t quite so

automatic with a compact camera). Their diminutive size can make a

difference if you don’t want to lug around a big digital single lens reflex

(dSLR) with several lenses.

✓ Inexpensive: Not all compact digital cameras are easy on the wallet, of

course, but this type of camera starts out inexpensively. You can find a

good camera that fits your budget with little trouble.

✓ Multi-purpose: You can use a simple point-and-shoot for casual family

photos during the day and HDR at sunset. These cameras are ideal to

start your HDR career, and you can use them for many other purposes.

They also make wonderful learning platforms to teach children about

photography.

✓ Results: Purists and quality fanatics might cringe at the prospect of

seeing HDR shot from compact digital cameras, but they work.

These are the tradeoffs you’ll find if you use a compact digital camera:

✓ Photo quality concerns: Compact digital camera photo quality ranges

from surprisingly good to downright abysmal. They tend to show more

noise, and high-ISO performance trails far behind dSLRs. This degrada-

tion of quality happens primarily because these cameras have a much

smaller sensor.

Having said this, you can take (with a decent camera, the know-how

to use it, and good software processing skills) beautiful pictures.

Paradoxically, without those skills, you will find it very challenging to

take decent pictures even if you have a very high-quality, expensive

camera.

✓ Small or no optical viewfinder: Many new compact digital cameras

have no optical viewfinder. You are forced to frame and compose your

shot on the LCD screen. Although this is fine sometimes, it’s harder to

see what you’re doing outside in the sun. And even if your model does

have a viewfinder, as in Figure 2-3, it’s often microscopically small —

and, to make matters worse, it’s not a faithful representation of what

you’re photographing. This is one reason why dSLRs are so popular

among professionals — because you look through the lens when you

look through the viewfinder, seeing what the camera sees.



✓ Small controls: Although these

cameras are designed to be

easy to use, they are often

harder to use if you want to

do anything other than put the

camera on Auto and start taking

pictures. Control knobs and

buttons are tiny or nonexistent.

This can make it hard to change

shooting modes, aperture, focus,

and exposure compensation.

✓ Restricted flexibility: One of

the biggest strikes against

compact digitals is the lack of

flexibility compared with dSLRs.

This has an effect on where and

how you can shoot good HDR:

• Limited shooting modes: You will often be limited to preset scenes

and auto modes, which restrict your ability to be in control of the

camera.

• Limited focus modes: You often have no manual focus — and even

if you do, it’s pretty hard to focus a compact digital camera on any-

thing other than the side of a barn. Too, depending on the shooting

mode you are in, you might have a limited ability to control focus

points. Shooting sweeping landscapes might not be a problem, but

focusing on a small detail for HDR might be.

• Limited metering modes: You might be limited to one or two

metering modes (multiple, which you should always have; center

weighted; and possibly, spot), which can restrict your ability to set

the best overall exposure.

• Single lens: This could be a pro or a con, depending on who you

are. You can save yourself a lot of money because you won’t be

tempted to buy new lenses. On the other hand, you can’t upgrade

your camera with a better or different lens. Hint: If you aren’t

happy with the angle of view (it may be too “zoomy,” or not wide

enough), you’ll have to get another camera.

• No growth: These cameras are great at what they do, but when you

master them and want to continue to grow, there is no alternative

but to get another camera.

✓ JPEGs: Budget compact digital cameras do not offer Raw support.

The only file format available is JPEG, which limits your ability to make

pre-HDR processing decisions. This limitation can also affect photo qual-

ity. This is not an insurmountable problem, but realize that the upper

level of quality you can achieve is limited.

Viewfinder

Figure 2-3: This camera’s viewfinder is but a tiny porthole above the LCD screen.



High-end compact and super-zoom camerasTaking a step up from the budget range, you will find a wide variety of more

expensive compact digital cameras, high-end compacts, super-zooms, and

dSLR look-alikes. There are so many often-overlapping categories that it

makes your head spin.

The two things this range of cameras

have in common are their increased

cost, and better or more features.

Figure 2-4 shows an older Kodak

EasyShare Z740 super-zoom. Despite

its age and being only a 5 megapixel

(MP) camera, it sports a manual mode

and can help you take fantastic pic-

tures. Notice at this point you get an

upgraded grip. Woohoo! That makes

the camera easier to hold and use

without getting your fingers in the way

of the lens. Speaking of lenses, super-

zoom lenses tend to be much larger than

budget compact digital cameras. Part of

the reason is marketing (a larger lens looks

more impressive) but part is functional — these lenses have to be better in order

to make zooming in by a factor of 20x practical.

Other candidates in this category are the premium compacts Panasonic

Lumix DMC-LX3, Canon PowerShot G10, and Nikon Coolpix 6000; super-

zooms Canon PowerShot SX1 and SX10, Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ28, and the

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX1.

Super-zooms are basically compact cameras (all but the beefiest are smaller

than a dSLR) with an impressive zoom capability that generally cost much less

than a dSLR. The Canon PowerShot SX-20 IS, for example, puts 20x optical zoom

at your fingertips for about $400. This is equivalent to a 560mm lens on a full-

frame (35mm) camera. To put that into perspective, the Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS

USM super telephoto lens costs just under $10,000. The SX-IS 20 also features a

reasonable wide-angle capability, starting out at 28mm (35mm equivalent).

Touch-screen controlsNew Nikons have moved to a touch-screen paradigm, which isn’t the best for HDR when you want to keep the camera steady. Ideally, you should touch the camera as little as

possible. When you must, it helps to have con-trols at your fingertips instead of having to poke the screen several times.

Figure 2-4: Look for more features with a midrange camera.



Here are the pros of spending more money to get a more capable camera:

✓ Higher picture quality: Although sensor sizes are still small, the image

quality you can get from a more expensive camera tends to be better

than the budget line because of image stabilization and additional pro-

cessing oomph in the camera. Too, this class offers better or larger

lenses. High-ISO performance still lags behind dSLRs, however.

✓ Comparable megapixels: These cameras compete well in this category.

High-end models generally top out at 12 megapixels while more inexpen-

sive and older cameras have between 8 and 10.

✓ Still relatively compact: Even at this level, you can still carry around an

amazingly small camera. For example, at only the size of a box of animal

crackers, the Canon G10 is a serious camera with a lot of power. You can

easily fit it in a purse or a manly European carryall (think Seinfeld).

✓ More controls: High-end digital compacts and the more expensive

super-zooms offer more controls than a budget camera. Look for handy

knobs and switches on the camera body, which make changing shooting

modes, aperture, and shutter speed much easier.

✓ More manual control: You tend to garner a greater ability to manu-

ally control the camera as you spend more money. This makes manual

bracketing (assuming no AEB mode) easier than having to resort to

exposure compensation.

✓ Raw file format: At this level, the Raw file format is sometimes — albeit

not always — an option. This is a significant reason to step up to the

next level and purchase a more expensive camera. Although you might

be happy with JPEGs for casual shooting, Raw photos can give you a

boost in HDR quality. In addition, you can shoot single-exposure HDR

using Raw photos. That opens up a whole new and exciting world.

Here are the cons of spending more money to get a more capable camera:

✓ Not a dSLR: As the cost rises, you approach the price of budget dSLRs

but don’t get the same benefits. If you’re considering upgrading to a

dSLR, seriously consider the two types of cameras and whether you

need the super-zoom.

No matter how expensive a super-zoom camera is, the camera and lens

combined often cost less than a professional quality zoom or telephoto

lens for a dSLR.

✓ Flexibility: Super-zooms tend to be single-purpose cameras. Sure, you

can stand on the sidelines of the soccer game taking photos of little

Timmy across the way competing his heart out. However, wide-angle

capability is limited, which can restrict your ability to shoot certain

scenes in HDR. High-end compacts are much more versatile.



✓ Noise: Compared with dSLRs, these cameras

have more noise, especially at higher ISOs.

Shooting at ISO 100 can negate this problem.

See what I mean in Figure 2-5.

dSLR camerasIf you’re serious about HDR, you will eventually

come face to face with the dSLR. Or rather, face

to lens. Although it’s not the only game in town,

the dSLR is a big-league camera. Figure 2-6 shows

an entry-level Sony Alpha 300 dSLR with a Sigma

10-20mm F4-5.5 ultra wide angle lens mounted

on a tripod. Makes my heart go all pitter-patter

seeing it there.

Here are the benefits to getting a dSLR for HDR

photography:

✓ Highest quality: Although dSLRs range from

basic entry-level models to the full-frame,

super-professional, complicated-as-a-nuclear-

reactor variety, they are the pinnacle in rea-

sonably affordable (from a few hundred to

several thousand dollars) quality.

✓ Total control: dSLRs don’t skimp on control.

You decide what you want to do and choose

how to do it. This helps when shooting

manual HDR brackets.

Beginning photographers might find con-

trolling such a complex piece of equipment

a bit overwhelming at first (I did), but entry-

level dSLRs offer a good mix of features that

combine automated photography and dSLR

power.

✓ Shooting flexibility: Better dSLRs offer you

the flexibility to shoot in tough conditions

that push the camera to its limits. With a fast

frame rate, you can take bracketed shots of

moving clouds without worrying that they

will smear. Lenses are interchangeable — and with the right lens, you

can shoot darker scenes without having to lengthen shutter speed too

much. And although I’d avoid this, you can also raise the ISO to moder-

ate levels without paying too much of a noise penalty. (You’ll certainly

get less noise with a dSLR than with other types of cameras.)

dSLR

Super-zoom

Compact

Figure 2-5: Smaller sensors, lenses, and fewer megapixels equal more noise.



✓ Growth: dSLRs offer tremen-

dous growth potential. You can

upgrade camera bodies and

keep the lenses you’ve invested

in over the years as long as you

stay within the same system.

✓ Raw+JPEG: Virtually all dSLRs

allow you to save photos in the

Raw file format, and most allow

you to simultaneously store

Raw+JPEG, which means the

camera stores two files (one

Raw, one JPEG) for every photo

you take. This is the best of

both worlds. You can quickly

view the JPEGs and put extra

time into processing the Raw

photos you want to keep.

✓ Bracketing: dSLRs are the kings of bracketing. Many have an auto brack-

eting feature, and all dSLRs should have a manual shooting mode, which

opens up manual bracketing. Not all bracketing capabilities are equal,

however, so carefully research the specific camera you have or plan to

purchase.

✓ Reduced noise: Compared to compact digital cameras and super-zooms,

dSLRs take photos that have much less noise, especially at higher ISOs.

This is due to a variety of reasons. dSLRs have larger sensors, more

powerful in-camera data processors, Raw photos with a greater bit-

depth, and tighter design and manufacturing tolerances for noise (espe-

cially as you ascend into the professional range).

dSLRs with sensors smaller than a 35mm film frame are called cropped bodies

(FX if you’re a Nikon user). They perform better than cameras with smaller

sensors but not as well as full-framed dSLRs (which cost a lot more).

Here are the tradeoffs to getting a dSLR for HDR photography:

✓ Wide range of different capabilities and formats: Just because the box

touts the camera model as dSLR doesn’t mean that it will have the capa-

bilities you need. Even more expensive dSLRs are not guaranteed to be

your cup of tea.

It is easy to see that an $8,000 camera is a professional piece of equip-

ment. However, entry-level and amateur dSLRs (some costing upward of

$2,000) can have very different capabilities.

Figure 2-6: Even an entry-level dSLR looks mighty impressive.



✓ More complicated: You can’t deny the learning curve for operating a

dSLR, especially if you’ve never used one. It’s a complicated piece of

equipment that requires a dedicated artist-engineer to wring all the

goodness out of it. Read the manual. Take your time. Practice. The

payoff is greater.

✓ Cost: dSLRs cost plenty, as do lenses, memory cards, additional batter-

ies, remote shutter releases, bags, and the other gear that goes with the

territory. This isn’t something most people can decide get into on the

spur of the moment, go down to the local camera store, and come back

fully equipped. It takes time.

Thankfully, you don’t need ten lenses to shoot HDR. You can make do

with a good kit lens to start with, especially if it has a decent wide-angle

capability. (dSLRs are sold as camera bodies with no lens or as part of a

kit, which usually features a popular and inexpensive zoom lens such as

an 18-35mm, called a kit lens.) A wide angle lens is probably your next

big investment.

✓ Hard to switch brands: After you commit to a particular brand of

camera and compatible lenses, it’s hard to switch to another brand

because you have to reinvest in all new lenses. It’s not impossible, mind

you, but it does discourage experimenting with alternative systems.

✓ Bulk: dSLRs are good-sized cameras that take up space and can weigh

you down. On the flip side, though, your wallet or purse will be lighter.

(Think about it.)

Looking through LensesAlthough the camera body plays a significant role in determining whether the

camera is suitable for HDR, lenses play an equally important role in steering

you toward, or away from, your favorite subjects. In addition, lenses play a

critical role in photo quality.

Budget compact camera lensesBudget cameras have budget lenses. If you’re starting out with an inexpen-

sive compact digital camera, don’t expect the best image quality in the world.

The point that can’t be repeated enough, however, is that if you apply your-

self, you can shoot great HDR with inexpensive, entry-level gear.

Figure 2-7 shows the lens on the Panasonic Lumix LZ8 (the camera that shot

the sunset in Figure 2-2). It’s t-i-n-y compared with other available lenses.



Figure 2-7: A budget lens and a better lens.

Some pros of shooting with a budget compact camera lens are that because

the lenses are built right into the camera body, you don’t have to worry

about changing them, carrying them, dropping them, or otherwise mess-

ing with them at all. You aren’t spending money after you buy the camera

because the lenses are fixed. And oddly enough, having a fixed (noninter-

changable) lens can give you plenty of composition options, provided that

the lens has decent wide-angle and zoom capabilities. Within compact digital

subclasses and price ranges, lens specifications tend to be fairly similar.

Expect focal lengths to begin in the range of 28 to 35mm (35mm equivalent).

How much they zoom tends to vary with price. If you want to maximize your

wide-angle capability (and you probably should for HDR), look for a camera

with a 35mm equivalent focal length starting below 35mm.

Some of the cons of shooting with a budget compact camera lens are that

budget lenses are small, probably not of the best quality, and might not even

be made of glass. However, unless you’re planning to print billboard-sized

prints, you can overcome this if you take good photos and are good with soft-

ware processing. You don’t have any flexibility because you’re stuck with the

lenses you’ve got. If you aren’t happy with the field of view, you have to buy

another camera.

Premium and super-zoom lensesAt this level, you’ve invested in a higher-quality camera and will reap the

rewards of having better — and, in some cases, more specialized — lenses.

Some pros of using premium and super-zoom lenses for HDR are that like

with budget compact digital cameras, the lens is conveniently, and perma-

nently, attached to your camera. You can’t forget it or lose it! As a group,

premium and super-zoom lenses tend to feature wider angles when zoomed

out and much more optical zoom when zoomed in than standard compacts.

This increases the flexibility of the camera and what shots you can compose.

Specific models may vary, however. Look for the range of zoom you like, but



realize you’ll probably use the wide-angle (under 35mm) capabilities of a

super-zoom lens for HDR more than telephoto (over 85mm). As such, be care-

ful that the premium or super-zoom has the wide-angle view you need. And

finally, manufacturers put better lenses in their premium products.

Some cons of using premium and super-zoom lenses for HDR are that

because premium and super-zoom lenses can’t be changed, your flexibility

is restricted compared with the variety of lenses available for a dSLR. Also,

even though these lenses are higher quality, they can’t compare with the pre-

cision lenses of the upper-end dSLR market.

Wide angle lenses Wide and ultra-wide angle lenses are the best lenses for HDR, hands down,

especially if you want to shoot land-

scapes, cityscapes, small interiors,

large interiors, and interesting

close-ups (which is pretty much

everything).

Figure 2-8 shows a shot in HDR

of a local building, complete with

dramatic sky, green trees, interest-

ing signs, and the tall building. A

wide angle lens made it possible to

be fairly close to the building (just

across the street) and get the entire

height and then some. This shot

would be impossible without it.

Here are some pros of using wide

angle lenses for HDR:

✓ Sweeping coverage: A wide

or ultra-wide angle lens is the

indisputable king of coverage.

There is no substitute when

you’re shooting an expansive

landscape or a tall building.

Many HDR photographers keep

their wide angle lenses on their

cameras most of the time.

✓ Interior spaces: To photograph small interiors, you need a wide angle

lens. In Figure 2-9, you can see the difference between shooting an inte-

rior with a normal lens and a wide angle lens. In the photo on the left,

taken with a Canon PowerShot A75 compact digital camera, you can only

see a corner of the kitchen. Everything is cut off. In the photo on the

Figure 2-8: Wide angle lenses are perfect for shooting tall buildings.



right, taken from the same location with a Sony Alpha 300 dSLR with a

Sigma 10-20mm F4.5-5.6 ultra-wide angle lens, shows much more of the

room. It’s the difference between absurd and practical.

Normal (35mm) Wide angle (10mm)

Figure 2-9: Interior shot, normal versus wide angle.

Larger interior spaces behave almost like landscapes or cityscapes.

Wide angle lenses capture their magnificence, as shown in Figure 2-10.

✓ Close-ups: Wide angle lenses

are surprisingly versatile. They

enable you to get close to a

subject and still see surround-

ing details. That makes for great

HDR images.

Here are some cons of using wide

angle lenses for HDR:

✓ Distortion: Wide angle lenses

are prone to distortion levels

above more traditional focal

length lenses, especially as you

get lower than 20mm. See what I

mean in Figure 2-11.

✓ Composition challenges: Wide angle lenses offer compositional chal-

lenges above and beyond normal lenses. First, there’s more to see. That

makes creating an uncluttered photo a real challenge. There’s so much

junk everywhere! In addition, when you tilt the camera forward or back,

vertical lines lean toward or away from you, respectively. This can make

buildings look like they are falling toward or away from you. Check it out

in Figure 2-12.

Figure 2-10: Wide angle lenses show off large interior spaces well.



General purpose and kit lensesGeneral purpose and kit lenses are

those lenses that typically come

with a dSLR. You can also find plenty

of upgrade options in this category,

ranging from 16mm to 200mm, with

17–70mm or so being a sweet spot.

This is good enough to give you a

wide-angle look and still be able to

zoom in.

Figure 2-13 illustrates a shot in

HDR from a Sony kit lens at 17mm.

The final image is cropped slightly

(another good reason to have a little

extra field of view). This is definitely

wide-angle territory, but the same

lens can zoom in and focus more

closely on the turtle’s face with no trouble.

Some pros of using general purpose and kit lenses for HDR are that gen-

eral purpose lenses are so popular because they offer you the flexibility of

having a range of focal lengths to choose from at a moment’s notice. When

shooting HDR, you can get a wide-angle shot and then zoom in closer with-

out having to change lenses or your vantage point. (Two other advantages

35mm equivalenceLenses are defined by their focal lengths, which is the distance between the optical center of the lens and its focal point (where it focuses the light passing through it), which should be on the same plane as the camera sensor (or film). For compact digitals and super-zooms, you are given the actual focal length of the lens and its 35mm equivalent. The former is the actual mea-surement. The latter is a helpful way to compare

the angle of view you see in the photo between lenses and cameras with different size sen-sors. It establishes a common frame of refer-ence that you can understand. For example, the Canon G11 has a lens with a true focal length of 6.1-30.5mm. Compared to a full-frame 35mm camera, the 35mm equivalent focal length is 28-140mm. It’s like adjusting for inflation.

Figure 2-11: This lens produces uncomfortable “What the?” distortion.



of using a general purpose zoom

lens over separate lenses are that

you get the equivalent coverage

without the weight and bulk.) For

example, one 16-85mm lens weighs

less and is less bulky than the four

lenses it takes to shoot the same

basic focal lengths with these

primes: 28mm, 35mm, 50mm, and

85mm. That, and there’re there. You

don’t need to make a decision on

what lens to get, nor make an addi-

tional purchase. Someone’s already

taken care of it for you!

Some cons of using general pur-

pose and kit lenses for HDR are that

sometimes, the wide end of a general

purpose lens cannot compete with

a good, dedicated wide angle lens.

Ultra-wide angle lenses can have

focal lengths as wide as 10mm to

12mm, topping out between 20mm or

28mm. Many general purpose lenses

start at around 17mm or 18mm. A

few millimeters here and there might

not seem like a big deal, but the

practical effect on your photos is

tremendous, as you can see in

Figure 2-14.

Another con to general purpose and

kit lenses is that you’ll likely read

or hear some debate over quality.

In a nutshell, cheaper, entry-level

versions perform more poorly than

more expensive lenses, but consider

the range of quality when shopping.

In general, a high-quality prime lens

will often perform better than a kit

or general purpose lens at the same

focal length.

Other lens typesIn addition to the lens types discussed in the previous sections, a few other

types can be used in HDR photography:

Figure 2-12: The camera’s alignment causes this distortion.

Figure 2-13: Bracketed HDR shot with an 17–70mm kit lens.



20mm 35mm 50mm 70mm

Figure 2-14: Ranging from wide angle through normal to macro.

✓ Primes: Because they are fixed length lenses (no zoom capability),

prime lenses do one thing, but they (should) do it very well. The most

common types of primes are 35mm and 50mm.

Despite what you might hear or think, you can use primes for HDR. Wide-

angle primes are great for wide-angle shots. Lenses like the 35mm or

50mm get you in closer to the action. When I was shooting an exhibit

commemorating the Battle of the Bulge, the large diorama was encased

in Plexiglas, and the lighting was dismal. A wide angle lens wouldn’t

have worked because the figures would look like tiny little ants, and the

chances of getting extraneous things in the photo was larger. I was able

to zoom in with my 50mm as if I were in the exhibit.

There’s nothing stopping you from using a prime lens in any situation

where that is the appropriate focal length. The upside is quality. The

downside to using primes is the cost of investing in so many lenses, car-

rying them around, and needing to change them when you want to alter

your field of view.

✓ Macro: Macro lenses are for super–close-ups. If you’re shooting bees,

flies, or other creepy-crawlers, you will have a hard time shooting brack-

ets for HDR. However, you will find other subjects like flowers and small-

scale still life perfectly suited for HDR.

✓ Telephoto: Telephoto lenses are for long shots. These lenses reach out

and capture a subject from far away. As a result, they compress the

sense of depth and can make some very attractive scenic shots.

Choosing a Pod, Tri or OtherwiseA tripod is almost a necessity for shooting HDR. If you find yourself in the

rare situation where you have a camera with a fast frame rate, a good AEB

mode, lighting conditions that allow for a fast shutter speed, and steady

hands, you can fire off blur-free bracketed shots without a tripod. The HDR

software should be able to align them properly.

Having said that, it’s incredibly nice and often necessary to have a good

tripod to keep the camera steady for your shots. Using a tripod increases the

quality of your photos by a good measure.



Odd podsYou can support your camera in many different ways. You can buy large

tripods, small ones, tripods with three legs and monopods with one leg.

Needless to say, you can support your camera on other objects, wherever you

are. These are basic photography techniques — leaning into a wall or door

frame for support, resting the camera on a fence or other convenient object.

A lot of people use small, tabletop-size tripods for HDR. Shoot still life

indoors or take it outside and shoot great low-angle shots with your camera

near the ground. The Gorillapod, by Joby (www.joby.com), is a flexible

tripod that can go anywhere and attach to virtually anything.

Compared to shooting with no support, monopods give you added stability.

This can sometimes make the difference between a blurry shot and a clean

one when shutter speeds need to be slow because of the available light. It’s

like shooting hand-held HDR with a little help.

The downside to all of these techniques is that the camera is not supported

as well as it would be with a good, stable tripod.

Inexpensive tripodsAny tripod basically does what you need it to do — hold the camera steady

to prevent blur. You don’t have to spend a fortune, either. Having said that,

you typically get what you pay for. Adorama Camera (www.adorama.com)

and Amazon.com have an extensive selection of inexpensive tripods. Kodak

(www.kodak.com) has several models under $30, and Joby (www.joby.com)

features the Gorillapod, an innovative and inexpensive range of flexible tri-

pods (ranging from $20 to $100).

Some benefits to using inexpensive tripods are that they’re cheap.

Inexpensive tripods tend to be light and easy to carry. Finally, they’re good

for kids to use. (My kids use my el cheap-o tripods. If the tripod gets dinged

up or breaks, it’s not a big deal.)

Some cons to using inexpensive tripods are that there are times, such as

being outside on a windy day, when it’s hard to keep a cheaper tripod solidly

planted and steady. (Many times, even inexpensive tripods are fairly stable.)

Sling a weight underneath the center if you can. This will help stability. I use

a gallon water jug filled with either water or sand with one end of a cord tied

through the handle and the other to a hook on the tripod. You can empty the

water when you’re not using it.



Other cons to using inexpensive tripods are that they have a nasty habit

of coming unscrewed, bending, or breaking. Plastic leg release latches can

be especially prone to breaking. Inexpensive tripods can’t get close to the

ground, and the center column rarely comes out and away from the central

axis of the tripod. This isn’t a disaster, but does limit the situations you can

use it in. The head and legs of inexpensive tripods don’t come apart. This

limits your growth and flexibility.

Expensive tripodsIt really does come down to this: If you want a great tripod, you’re going to

have to spend the money to get it. That isn’t to say all expensive tripods are

great, but great tripods tend to be costly. Manfrotto’s 055XPROB tripod legs

(the tripod I use, which is professional quality but certainly not top of the

line) lists for about $180 at Adorama Camera (www.adorama.com).

Fun with inexpensive tripodsMy kids and I sometimes have “Camera Wars.” In one variation, we mount our cameras on tripods and run around the house trying to take pictures of each other, as shown in the following figure. We don’t do this with my professional tripod, though. That gets put away in a cushioned bag in the closet.



Shopping tips:

✓ Components: Better tripods

come in two parts: the legs and

the head. Separating the compo-

nents allows you to choose dif-

ferent pieces that suit you best.

✓ Leg material: Wood is classic,

but heavy. Aluminum is today’s

standard but isn’t indestructible

and can get cold during the

winter. Carbon fiber and other

composites are strong and light-

weight, although costly.

✓ Size: Tripod legs come in many

dimensions. Make sure you get

the size you need. Smaller sizes

are ideal for backpacking and

shooting on the run. For HDR,

where size is often less of an

issue, you will probably want a

heavier tripod for stability.

✓ Pan heads: A traditional pan

and tilt head, as shown in Figure

2-15, is a great platform. It has

large controls that lock or

loosen to allow movement

around three axes. These heads

are nice to have if you plan on

shooting panoramas.

✓ Ball heads: A ball head allows a

great deal of freedom when you

are composing the shot, espe-

cially if you have something like

the Manfrotto horizontal grip

(as shown in Figure 2-16), which

sports a ball head with some-

thing that looks like a joystick

attached to it. You can squeeze

the grip to loosen the head and

compose the shot with one

hand. Sweet. I picked up this

one from Amazon for about $130.

Figure 2-15: Pan and tilt heads are great for panning and tilting.

Figure 2-16: Ball heads with specialized grips make composition convenient.



Additional items for your tripodSay what? There are accessories for a tripod? Yup, and they can come in

pretty darned handy, especially when shooting HDR. Check it out.

✓ Quick release plates: These plates, which attach to the bottom of your

camera, allow you to quickly attach the camera to the tripod. They

can help prevent slippage and vibration, too. I recommend attaching a

quick release plate for each camera to improve trading cameras easily

and quickly.

✓ Bag: Use a tripod storage bag (most are available from your tripod man-

ufacturer, but Tamrac, Case Logic, and other companies have their own

lines) for easy carrying as well as protecting your tripod while on the go

and when stored.

✓ Heads: Better tripods offer more than one head. For example, use a tradi-

tional ball head for quick composition, but use a pan head for panoramas.

Adding Optional Accessories to Your HDR KitThe great thing about HDR is that you can go heavy or light, depending on

your mood and the situation at hand. Use the following as a guide to get you

started thinking about how you can expand your kit:

✓ Bags: Although you might need only a small pouch to protect a compact

digital camera, you’ll want a decent bag for a dSLR and its lenses. You

not only want your equipment with you (you never know when you need

that one “thing”), but you want to protect your investment from dust,

dings, and life.

Always keep your bag(s) with you! If you set down your bag, walk across

a field, and then decide to switch lenses, you have to trudge back to get

the bag. And, of course, you don’t want someone walking away with your

equipment. I prefer using sling bags (see one in Figure 2-17), loaded with

a moderate amount of gear that’s not too weighty.

✓ A light meter: Although using an external light meter isn’t a prerequisite

for shooting HDR (after all, your camera has a light meter built in), using

an external meter can help you achieve the best possible exposure. (Plus,

you look startlingly cool carrying one around.) In spot mode, you can

point it at various parts of the scene to determine the actual dynamic

range of the scene, which can help you decide on a bracketing strategy

(more or less shots, as well as the exposure difference between them).



✓ Kneepads: HDR photography

isn’t something you want to go

out shooting in a ruffled pink

dress and high heels. As attrac-

tive as you might look, consider

dressing with a mind toward

practicality.

When you’re looking for those

interesting angles, having knee-

pads can save your clothing and

knees. I can’t count the number

of times I’ve had to kneel down

in gravel.

✓ A shutter release cable: Remote

shutter releases are a wonderful

accessory to have when shoot-

ing HDR. They keep your camera

steady when shooting because

you remove the possibility of

jarring the camera by pressing

the shutter button.

When it comes to remote shut-

ter releases, one size does not

fit all! Make sure to get one

that’s compatible with your

camera. Most are the traditional

cord variety, but some are wire-

less. Needless to say, wireless

remotes are very cool. You

won’t trip over a long cord and

you aren’t restricted by a short

cord. The top camera manufacturers sell branded wireless releases

for their systems ranging from about $80 to freakishly expensive. B&H

Photo (www.bhphotovideo.com) has a good selection, followed by

Adorama (www.adorama.com) and Amazon (www.amazon.com).

✓ Levels: When you shoot landscapes, cityscapes, or large interiors with

a wide angle lens, problems with camera leveling and alignment can be

accentuated. To protect yourself from your lying eyes (your eyes are

often fooled by details of the scene, the ground you stand on, and any

tilt to your head), use a small level that you can fit in your hot (acces-

sory) shoe, as shown in Figure 2-18.

Time to ’fess up. The level shown in Figure 2-18 is sitting on top of this

Sony hot shoe (rather than in it) because it isn’t compatible with this

mount — something to look into if you get one. It fits fine on my Nikon,

which I was using to take this photo.

Figure 2-17: Sling bags are easy to keep with you.



If your camera doesn’t have an accessory

shoe, get a tripod that has a level built into

the legs or head. Lacking that, you can buy a

small level from the hardware store and duct

tape that to your camera. (I’m only halfway

joking with that one.)

✓ White balance aids: Whether you shoot

HDR inside or out, using a gray card (as

part of a white balance system) helps you

correct color casts from different lighting

and reflections. I use WhiBal from http://rawworkflow.com. Find it online at www.whibal.com for about $20 and up.

Figure 2-18: Use a level when shooting wide angle.

Other lenses: Contacts and glassesYou have to see clearly to take good photos. If you wear glasses or contacts, keep your pre-scription up to date. Glasses can get in the way when you try to look through the optical view-finder of your camera, but they are reliable and dependable. Wearing bifocals or progressives can help you alternatively focus through the viewfinder and see the controls and settings on

the camera. If your camera has a built-in diopter adjustment control (this includes most dSLRs), use it to adjust the focus of the viewfinder so you don’t need to rely on glasses or contacts. If you need more corrective power, see if your dSLR has stronger add-on diopter adjustment viewfinder lenses.


3Looking Hard at HDR Software

In This Chapter▶ Putting the software puzzle together

▶ Starting with Raw editors

▶ Reviewing HDR applications

▶ Considering other applications

You can’t pursue HDR photography without the right software. The key is

to define what that software is, what it does, and understand how it fits

in with everything else. All you really need is an HDR application to generate

and tone map an HDR image. However, you might also want to use an appli-

cation that either helps you create the best image possible or manage the

process.

To help you sort out all the software, this chapter describes

the different roles that Raw converters, HDR applications,

image editors, and image management applications play

in the process. I also describe some of the major play-

ers for each type of software, what they offer, and

some good and bad points about each title.

In this chapter, you discover what applications you

need for HDR photography and get a head start on

tailoring your software kit to match you and your

desires.

Software: Don’t Pass HDR without ItTable 3-1 shows a general roadmap of the types of software

that either assist or create HDR as well as how they fit together.

The phases correspond to the main HDR workflow (see Chapter 10 for more

details). Within each phase, I show you more than one type of application

that can perform similar tasks.



Table 3-1 HDR Phases and SoftwarePhase Tasks Software Types Examples

1. Pre-HDR Raw conversion

Raw editor or image management

Nikon Capture NX 2Apple Aperture 2

2. HDR Generate HDR

HDR application or some image editors

Photomatix ProPhotoshop

3. Tone mapping

Tone map HDR image

HDR application or some image editors

Photomatix ProPhotoshop

4. Post-HDR Edit and finalize

Image editor or some HDR applications

Photoshop ElementsArtizen HDR

H-D-R (uh-huh, uh-huh), we like it . . .The most important software element of HDR photography is, not surpris-

ingly, the HDR application. This is what you use to turn your bracketed

photos (and single Raw exposures for pseudo-HDR) into high dynamic range

images, and tone map to create super-saturated, attention-grabbing images,

as shown in Figure 3-1.

Figure 3-1: From beginning to end — brackets (left) and final image (far right).

Spend some time trying out several of the applications listed in the later sec-

tion, “Surveying the HDR Software Landscape,” to decide which one you like

best. Choose the one that best fits your artistic sensibility, workflow, and

budget. Look for the following list of features and options to help guide you

in your trial and purchase:

✓ Input file types: Make sure that the HDR application accepts the file

types you want to work with — Raw, JPEG, or 8- or 16-bit TIFF.

✓ Output file types: The HDR application should save a final tone mapped

file in the format of your choice. Common types are JPEG and 8-bit and

16-bit TIFFs.

✓ Processes Raw photos: Some HDR applications have limited Raw sup-

port for newer or less popular cameras.


53 Chapter 3: Looking Hard at HDR Software

✓ Settings management: Being able to save and load tone mapping set-

tings makes duplicating your work far easier. You can create baseline

settings for artistic styles, subjects and genres, or conditions, and work

from your saved settings rather than having to re-create the same steps

each time.

✓ Edits HDR images: Some applications perform rudimentary HDR image

editing, such as cropping, rotating, and reducing noise. Applications

with more options give you greater flexibility over where in the process

you decide to perform these tasks.

✓ Generates HDR images and tone maps HDR images: Generating an HDR

image and tone mapping are defining characteristics of an HDR applica-

tion. (See Figure 3-2.) Some HDR applications also have tone mapping

plug-ins that work in Photoshop.

✓ Other functionality: Some HDR software doubles as an image editor

(most notably, Photoshop).

Figure 3-2: Tone mapping controls in Artizen HDR.

Rah rah for raw raw(Also known as: If I hear one more Raw joke, I’m going to rawr.) Raw conver-

sion is only an issue if you shoot Raw photos. Although you can generally

plop the Raw photo directly into an HDR application, image quality is better if

you convert Raw images first with a dedicated Raw editor or converter.

For more information on converting Raw photos to TIFFs for HDR, see

Chapter 7.



MBA in image managementHDR photography benefits greatly from image management applications such

as Adobe Lightroom and Apple Aperture. You’ll take tons of photos when

you’re bracketing. These applications help you keep track of the photos,

metadata (for exposure), date, time, and subject.

Editing for zing One of the biggest misperceptions about HDR is that the image comes

straight out of the HDR application looking perfect. Most of the time, you’ll

also want to use an image editing program to edit the tone mapped image

before posting it online or printing. Post-HDR processing includes using an

image editor to covert images to black and white, create panoramas (whose

individual frames are shown in Figure 3-3), retouch (sharpen, reduce noise,

fix lens distortion, correct color problems, and so on), enhance (improve

contrast, saturation, and so on), crop, and/or resize for online viewing.

Figure 3-3: Tone mapped panorama frames ready to be stitched together.

Your Guide to RawIf you shoot in Raw, you should convert your Raw images to TIFF before gen-

erating and tone mapping HDR. Although this is an optional step, it gives you

a boost in image quality. You can read more about this process in Chapters 7

and 8, but you can start thinking about your software options now.

Using your camera’s softwareCamera manufacturers receive mixed reviews on their Raw conversion and

image editing software. Some people love what they see, and some people

hate it.

Table 3-2 lists several camera Raw software packages by manufacturer, all

of which have Windows and Macintosh versions. They are all free except

for Nikon’s Digital Capture NX 2 (shown in Figure 3-4), which has a free trial

available for download.



Figure 3-4: Nikon Capture NX 2 is a great Raw converter.

Table 3-2 Camera Raw Software by ManufacturerCamera Manufacturer

Software Name Cost

Canon Digital Photo Professional Nada

Fuji Hyper-Utility Free

Kodak EasyShare (version 7 or later) Zip

Konica Minolta

DiMAGE Viewer Zilch*

Nikon Nikon Capture NX 2 $179.95 (free trial available)

Olympus OLYMPUS Master 2 Nothing

Panasonic SILKYPIX Developer Studio SE N/A**

Pentax PENTAX PHOTO Laboratory 3 Free

Sony Sony Image Data Converter SR Gratis*Konica Minolta has discontinued all digital camera operations and transferred customer service to Sony.**The SE version is limited compared with the full release, which is not free.



Creating HDR images is a different beast than traditional photo editing. Don’t

write off a potentially great Raw application just because it’s not as popular

as the rest. Consider this information when looking at Raw applications:

✓ Insider information: It might surprise you to know that Raw photos are

proprietary. Canon puts special Canon stuff in its files. Nikon, Sony, and

the rest do the same. Adobe is resisting this and advocating an open

Digital Negative standard. Until such time as they all agree, no one is

going to know a Raw file format better than the manufacturer.

✓ Decent controls: At a minimum, you should look for the ability to

control exposure (for creating brackets from a single Raw photo).

That’s about it, really. If you want to do some editing, restrain yourself.

Remember, you aren’t trying to get the perfect exposure. The brackets

and HDR processing will take care of that.

✓ Adequate Save As options: If you need to convert Raw files to some-

thing that will load into an HDR application, you must have the ability to

save the resulting image as an 8- or 16-bit TIFF or JPEG. For higher qual-

ity, choose 16-bit TIFF.

✓ Bearable interface: The software that comes free with your camera

might have a clunky or ugly interface. What counts is that you can navi-

gate your way around without too much confusion or fuss.

Third-party Raw softwareYou can buy or download a plethora of third-party Raw editors and convert-

ers. If you’re unhappy with your current software and want to try something

new, get your hands on one or more of the applications listed in Table 3-3.

Stylin’ with presetsStyle presets are another reason to look care-fully at the software that comes with your camera. Presets allow you to shoot Raw and use predefined settings researched and chosen by the manufacturer as a starting (or ending) point for conversion from Raw to JPEG or TIFF. Many times, the software presets are the exact same options that you can set in-camera.

You might want to set the camera to save Raw only, and then load the presets in software as you convert only those photos you want to keep. This frees up processor workload in the camera and storage space on your memory card, not to mention hard drive space. The other advantage to using style presets, of course, is being able to try them out before you commit them to JPEG.



Table 3-3 Third-Party Raw EditorsName URL Platform(s) Freeware?

ACDSee Pro www.acdsee.com Win No; free trial

Bibble http://bibblelabs.com

Mac/Win/Linux

No; free trial

BreezeBrowser Pro

www.breezesys.com/BreezeBrowser

Win No; free trial

Capture One www.phaseone.com Mac/Win No; free trial

dcraw www.cybercom.net/~dcoffin/dcraw

Mac/Win/Linux (available at www.insflug.org/raw)

Yes

DxO Optics Pro www.dxo.com Mac/Win No; free trial

LightZone www.lightcrafts.com/lightzone

Mac/Win No; free trial

RawShooter www.adobe.com Win N/A

RawTherapee www.rawtherapee.com

Win/Linux Yes

SILKYPIX Developer Studio

www.isl.co.jp/SILKYPIX

Mac/Win No; free trial

Adobe Camera RawAdobe Camera Raw (ACR) is a plug-in that works within Adobe Photoshop

and Photoshop Elements. It is Adobe’s near-universal Raw editor and con-

verter. ACR is very popular and has a clean and professional interface, as

shown in Figure 3-5. The icons at the top are tools and the three tabs below

the histogram are the main editing categories. There’s not much to complain

about with ACR.

ACR works differently within Adobe Photoshop Elements than in Photoshop.

The Elements version has fewer options, bells, whistles, and doodads. That

won’t affect you as much when it comes to preparing Raw images for HDR

because, for the most part, you’re after a fairly direct conversion to TIFF.



Figure 3-5: Adobe Camera Raw called from within Photoshop Elements.

Surveying the HDR Software LandscapeThe following applications (presented alphabetically) specialize in HDR. In

the following sections, I provide a Web address for each application (so you

can investigate and download the software or trial version), a description of

the software and its strengths and weaknesses, and a screen shot of some

of them in action.

Artizen HDR Artizen HDR (www.supportingcomputers.net) is one of the stronger

HDR applications available. It has a nice interface that’s reminiscent of a

full-featured graphics editor. With Artizen HDR, after you generate and tone

map the HDR image, you can edit and finalize your image.

The nifty features of Artizen HDR are its full-featured tone mapping, batch

processing, and image editing capabilities. The iffy features are that it has an

annoying nag screen in the trial version, and it’s a Windows-only product.



Dynamic Photo HDR Generating HDR in Dynamic Photo HDR (www.mediachance.com) is pretty

fun. It has some powerful options that are very nice. Aside from all the obvi-

ous stuff, you can paint a ghosting mask (a fancy term for painting over

objects that are moving, and thereby creating ghosting problems — more

information on ghosting can be found in Chapter 7) onto the HDR preview to

immobilize moving objects, as shown in Figure 3-6.

Figure 3-6: Resolving ghosting by painting a mask in Dynamic Photo HDR.

Dynamic Photo HDR is a good dog in that it has advanced options for HDR

generation, a great ghosting routine, powerful manual alignment tools, help-

ful tone mapping presets, batch processing, and is available for both Mac and

Windows.

easyHDR There are two versions of easyHDR (www.easyhdr.com): Basic and Pro. The

basic version is very, well, basic. You load your images and start tone map-

ping. You can’t save HDR files, but you can open existing .hdr files and tone

map them. Upgrading to easyHDR Pro gives you a lot more power. You can



generate HDR images, align them automatically or manually, and choose from

many other options. You can manually alter EV information for each image,

perform image size reduction as you create the HDR, choose from different

HDR radiance maps (True HDR, Smart Merge, Image Stacking), change

response curve, and choose from different anti-blooming and -noise settings.

The yummy things about easyHDR are that the program has a standard set of

HDR features and you can create projects. The yucky things are that it gives

questionable tone mapping results at times, the basic (free) version is very

limited, and it’s a Windows-only product.

FDRTools FDRTools (www.fdrtools.com)

comes in two flavors — Basic and

Advanced — in addition to a tone

mapping–only Photoshop plug-in.

The thing that strikes me when firing

up FDRTools is that it’s a complex

piece of software written for serious

users — not that it doesn’t look

friendly, but the casual user might

be intimidated at first. Figure 3-7

illustrates the FDRTools interface in

HDRI Creation mode. Individual

brackets are on the left, and there

are windows open that serve various

purposes.

FDRTools works with a project

paradigm. When you create and add

images to a project, you can choose

to save the HDR file or not. If you

save it, you have to open it as a sepa-

rate image or new project. A side

effect of this is that each time you

open a project with multiple photos,

FDRTools must re-create the HDR

file, slowing things down dramati-

cally. The advantage is having all

the images and settings stored in a

convenient project file that is the

only thing you have to work with.

The best things about FDRTools are that it has advanced HDR tools, it cre-

ates a single program file, and it’s available for both Mac and Windows. The

worst thing is that it has lots of technical options, which means a steeper

learning curve to effectively use all the features.

Figure 3-7: Creating an HDR image in FDRTools Advanced.



Hydra HDR plug-in for Aperture 2.1The Hydra HDR plug-in for Aperture 2.1 (www.creaceed.com) is exactly

what it says — an HDR plug-in that works from within Apple Aperture to

create and tone map HDR images. Figure 3-8 illustrates the Hydra plug-in

interface with brackets on the left and the main preview in the center.

Figure 3-8: Tone mapping in Hydra.

The great things about this plug-in are that it has a really nice interface, is

easy to use, it integrates seamlessly with an Aperture workflow, and Raw pro-

cessing options are integrated into the plug-in. The not-so-great things about

it are that you have limited tone mapping options compared to other applica-

tions, and it’s available for the Mac only.

Photomatix Pro Photomatix Pro, from HDRsoft (www.hdrsoft.com), is a leading application

in the HDR market. It has everything you need to create outstanding HDR and

a few things you don’t need but might find useful.

There are two tone mapping modes. The Details Enhancer is the traditional

tool used by a number of HDR photographers. It has a plethora of settings

and controls in one floating window and a tone mapping preview in the main

window. Photomatix Pro also has a Tone Compressor (another tone mapping

paradigm) and Exposure Fusion (formerly known as Exposure Blending).



The pros of Photomatix Pro are that it produces great images and has

full-featured HDR and tone mapping options, single- and multiple-batch

processing options, and several methods with a profusion of controls. To

boot, Photomatix is friendly, not too complicated, and available for Mac and

Windows (and also with plug-ins for Adobe Lightroom and Adobe Aperture).

The cons are that the interface is sometimes clunky, there is no manual align-

ment option, and it has limited HDR and post-HDR editing although it will let

you rotate and crop your images.

Qtpfsgui Creating HDR images in Qtpfsgui (http://qtpfsgui.sourceforge.net)

is pretty straightforward and similar to many other applications. It boils

down to creating a new HDR image by selecting bracketed source photos and

aligning them. The odd name (quitpeefizgooey is probably a close pronuncia-

tion), comes from the program and libraries used to build it (you can see

exactly which ones on its Web site).

The green light for Qtpfsgui is that it has lots of options, and you can use

manual alignment. The red light for it is that sometimes there are too many

options that aren’t well explained, and it feels like a scientific application

due to the terminology and opaque option names. In addition, if your system

needs QT4 installed to run Qtpfsgui, it’s 131MB!

Integrating More Cool Software into Your HDR Workflow

Who doesn’t want to use all the software they possibly can? The applica-

tions described in the following sections assist HDR on the front or back

end. Some, like Photoshop, can handle every task. Others, like Photoshop

Elements, are only useful in the editing and finishing phase.

Staying current with HDR applicationsI can’t list every HDR application that’s out there, of course. Some are pretty expensive, or have yet to gain any traction, so I chose not to cover them in this book.

HDR software is an evolving field, so keep checking into software and plug-ins. Developers all over the world are working feverishly to attend to your HDR needs and bring you the right mix of features at the right cost.



Corel Paint Shop Pro Photo Paint Shop Pro (www.corel.com) is a full-featured raster and vector graph-

ics editor, complete with a bevy of photo editing tools and features, including

a limited HDR capability. For the price, you can hardly go wrong with this

package. You might prefer to create and tone map your HDR images in an

HDR-specific application and then finish it in Paint Shop Pro.

Paint Shop Pro is like Batman in that you get a lot of bang for the buck with

it because it can generate and tone map HDR as well as edit images. It’s like

the Joker in that it has limited HDR and tone mapping features, has some

memory issues, and can be buggy at times.

Adobe Photoshop Photoshop (www.adobe.com) is the leader in the graphics and intensive photo

editing market, and for good reason. There’s not much it can’t do, and what it

does do it does very well. Although other packages handle the routine elements

of photo editing just as well (brightness, contrast, and so on), Photoshop has

many other powerful features that complement your work and workflow.

Photoshop is worth buying because it’s very powerful, it’s the industry-

standard image editing application, it integrates well with other Adobe prod-

ucts, it can generate and tone map HDR on its own, and it’s compatible with

both Mac and Windows. The downside with Photoshop is that it’s expensive

and it can be unwieldy and takes time to master.

Adobe Photoshop Elements Photoshop Elements (www.adobe.com) is Adobe’s slimmed-down version of

Photoshop. It is aimed squarely at the consumer image and photo editing

market. It’s light, fun, easy, and pretty cool. Most of the basics are here, but

there are some omissions when it comes to serious work.

The affirmative parts about Photoshop Elements are that it’s easy to use,

inexpensive, has handy image management features, and still can do most

of what you want it to. The negative parts of Photoshop Elements are that it

doesn’t have a Curves tool, masks (which affect blending), no Duotone mode

(which affects your ability to tone images), and no Lab Color mode.

Adobe Lightroom Lightroom (www.adobe.com), as shown in Figure 3-9, is an image manage-

ment and editing application that is available for Macintosh and Windows

platforms. Notice the Develop tab at the top-right of the interface. This is

where you will work to change settings to convert Raw photos. Lightroom is

to photographers what Photoshop is to graphic artists.



Figure 3-9: Managing photos in Lightroom.

Lightroom is a great application that helps you manage your photo collec-

tion and perform routine (and not so routine) photo editing without having to

leave the program. You should get consistently good results from Lightroom,

no matter what camera you have or your other workflow needs. It also has

integrated Raw image processing capabilities, great image management soft-

ware (which allows you to manage, rate, develop, and publish images), and

works on Macs and Windows. The downside is that you might not care for the

Raw editor, and you might not want to bother with its image management.

HDRsoft (the makers of Photomatix Pro) has an export plug-in that works

within Lightroom. Select the images you want to process and then export

them to Photomatix Pro. You can even reimport them at no extra cost.

Apple Aperture Aperture (www.apple.com) is Apple’s answer to Adobe’s (Lightroom) appli-

cation. As shown in Figure 3-10, Aperture is an image management and editing

application that offers essentially the same functionality as Adobe Lightroom,

especially when it comes to HDR photography and Raw photo processing.



Figure 3-10: Apple Aperture is a strong contender.

The “comfort food” aspects of Apple Aperture are that it’s fun to use, has

great compatibility with Mac OS, has nice Raw editing capability complete

with access to EXIF data, and can export images to HDR applications. The

“fast food” aspects are that it’s Mac only, and you might not care for its Raw

image editor.

There is a handy Photomatix Pro export plug-in for Aperture that helps

you get your game on faster. You can export photos and tone map them in

Photomatix Pro without ever leaving Aperture. Select the image or brack-

ets you want to process, choose Images➪Edit With➪Photomatix HDR Tone

Mapping, and you’re in business.


Part IIPutting the

Photography in HDR Photography


In this part . . .

This part is about choosing the best scenes for HDR and then taking the pictures. HDR photo-

graphy uses a special technique — bracketing — to take more than one photo of a scene. You have to set your camera up and operate it a bit differently than normal.

In Chapter 4, you fi nd out how to surgically attach your camera and become a cyborg photographer. Really. Chapter 5 is one of the most important chapters in the book. You discover different tech-niques to shoot HDR brackets using different cam-eras. Finally, because it’s not always possible to set up a tripod to shoot brackets, Chapter 6 gives you the lowdown on when to break the rules and shoot the best single raw photos for HDR.


4Becoming One with Your Camera

In This Chapter▶ Understanding exposure and HDR

▶ Configuring your camera for HDR

▶ Using exposure compensation

▶ Preparing to shoot manual brackets

▶ Auto exposure bracketing

HDR photography is more than just “point and shoot.” It involves under-

standing exposure and using your camera to set up and capture a

wide dynamic range of light through brackets. If you are familiar with these

concepts, HDR isn’t overwhelmingly different. If you are new to photography,

HDR will help you learn a great deal.

Different cameras have different features, strengths, and limi-

tations. HDR is flexible enough to roll with the punches.

It is possible to shoot HDR with cameras ranging from

cheap budget compact digital cameras all the way up

to the most expensive dSLRs. You can shoot single

Raw exposures more casually and still have fun with

pseudo-HDR, but the big payoff of pursuing HDR

comes when you start to tackle the brackets.

How you do all this depends on your camera. In

this chapter, I show you how to get your camera set

up and ready to shoot HDR based on whether it has

exposure compensation, a manual shooting mode, or

full-up auto bracketing.

If you have trouble understanding some of what’s going on

here, remember to consult your camera’s manual. There are also

some pretty good For Dummies books out there that cover digital photogra-

phy in general, dSLRs in general, and some camera models in particular.


70 Part II: Putting the Photography in HDR Photography

The Secrets (Shh . . .) of ExposureBecause HDR involves getting around the limitations of dynamic range in

modern digital photography, it stands to reason that exposure is a critical

concept to understand. When you’re setting up your camera to shoot brack-

eted photos, you need to be comfortable thinking and acting quickly.

Exposure is how much light enters the camera for the length of time the shut-

ter is open. An exposure is shorthand for a photograph, or frame (which is a

throwback to a frame of film).

You control exposure by changing how the camera operates. There are three

primary ways to do this, as shown in Table 4-1. Each variable has the same

effect — raising or lowering the exposure. They all do it differently, as well as

having a different major side effect.

Table 4-1 Controlling ExposureVariable How It Works Side Effect?!

Aperture Changes the size of the opening in the lens that lets light in the camera

Shortens or deepens the depth of field

Shutter Speed

Changes the length of time the shutter (the thing that keeps light out) is open

Stops or blurs motion

ISO Changes the digital camera sensor’s sensitivity to light

Raises or lowers noise

Here are some of the more important concepts related to exposure and how

to control it for HDR:

✓ Aperture: Aperture is the size of the opening in the lens, measured in

f-numbers. The f-number (also called an f-stop) is inversely proportional

to the size of the opening (the aperture).

In other words, a larger aperture has a smaller f-number and a smaller

aperture has a larger f-number. The size of the lens and the actual size

of the opening are irrelevant in comparing exposure. You can see this

relationship play out in Figure 4-1, where each succeeding f-stop is half

as large as the previous (but the numbers get larger).

A larger aperture creates a shallow depth of field, which is the area you

perceive to be in acceptable focus. A smaller aperture increases the depth

of field. This is illustrated in Figure 4-2, where the wide aperture of f/1.4

has a much smaller depth of field than the second shot, taken at f/16.


71 Chapter 4: Becoming One with Your Camera

f/1.4 f/2.8 f/5.6 f/11

Figure 4-1: The lens aperture lets light into the camera.

For HDR, it is best to keep aper-

ture constant between brackets

so the depth of field does not

change.

✓ Shutter speed: Shutter speed

is the length of time the shut-

ter stays open and allows light

to enter the camera and strike

the sensor. You control this

value to let less or more light in,

which in turn darkens or bright-

ens the photo.

For HDR, fast shutter speeds

are less important than tradi-

tional hand-held photography

because you will often be taking

photos of inanimate objects

with the camera mounted on

a tripod. For hand-held auto

bracketed HDR, a faster shutter

speed is more important.

✓ ISO: For digital cameras, ISO

equates to sensor gain (the sen-

sitivity to light). The higher

the ISO, the greater the camera’s

ability to capture scenes with

less light. The counterweight to

this is always noise, as shown in Figure 4-3. Notice in particular the noise

is much more apparent in areas of even tone — the green concourse

floor and white cinderblock wall.

For HDR photography, the lowest possible ISO is the best setting. Raise

it only if you cannot get the shot any other way.

Aperture f/1.4

Aperture f/16

Figure 4-2: Comparing depths of field from two different apertures.



ISO 1600ISO 100

Figure 4-3: High ISO settings dramatically increase noise.

Photographic stops/EVAkin to how f-stops work (as I mention in the preceding bullet list), a photo-

graphic stop is a principle that allows you to compare changes in exposure.

One stop doubles or halves the amount of light for a given photo, depending

on whether you increase or reduce exposure.

This behavior applies to all the methods of controlling exposure, which

means you can describe aperture, shutter speed, and ISOs in terms of stops.

✓ Stopping down means you are reducing exposure.

✓ Stopping up means you are increasing it.

Camera controls can change stops incrementally, which means you can

change the shutter speed by a third of a stop.

Here’s where Exposure Value (EV)

comes into play: One EV is the equiv-

alent of a stop of exposure. EV often

refers to the location of the current

exposure on the camera’s exposure

index or exposure display. It can also

refer to the relative distance from

one exposure to this mark or another

exposure, expressed in EV.

Figure 4-4 shows the LCD monitor

of my Sony dSLR, which has an

exposure index handily visible at

all times. It is marked off from -2 to

+2 EV, with ticks every third of an

EV (which is normally one shutter speed or aperture increment one way or

another).

Figure 4-4: The exposure index in action.



This is your guide to measure the effects of altering your camera’s settings

on exposure in manual mode. In this case, the combination of 1/5 second

shutter speed, f/8 aperture, and ISO 100 result in an anticipated overexposure

of +2.0 EV.

EV 0.0 is assumed to be the ideal exposure given the lighting conditions at

hand. Only you can tell whether it is aesthetically the correct exposure or not.

If a camera in manual mode meters a scene and tells you the current expo-

sure is +1.0 EV, you know the photo will be overexposed by a stop. You

should either increase (make faster) the shutter speed or make the aperture

smaller to bring the exposure down to 0.0 EV. Similarly, a bracketed photo

taken at EV -2.0 is intentionally underexposed by two stops.

When setting auto exposure bracketing distance, you set the relative EV that

each exposure differs from the ones around it. Common settings are +/-0.3,

+/-0.7, +/-1.0, and +/-2.0. While the lower settings are not as effective for HDR,

+/-1.0 and +/-2.0 are right in the ballpark.

✓ Underexposed: A photo is underexposed if it is too dark. In HDR, you

shoot underexposed photos on purpose to tone down highlights in a

scene, which will retain their details.

✓ Overexposed: An overexposed photo is too bright. In HDR, you shoot

overexposed photos on purpose to reveal details in shadows.

BracketingBracketing is taking two or more photos with different exposures of the same

scene at the same time. Back in the day when film was king, bracketing was

a way to cover more exposure possibilities (like placing more bets on differ-

ent numbers at a roulette wheel — you stand a greater chance of winning).

Without digital exposures and auto review, you could only be sure you got

the best exposure when the film was developed. With HDR, bracketing is not

about being uncertain of the correct exposure, but rather, increasing the

amount of exposure data you’ve gathered.

Bracketing most often assumes that the central exposure is at 0.0 EV but this

does not have to be the case.

The word bracket can be used as a verb, as in, “I told my assistant to bracket

the scene.” It can also refer to a single photo in the bracketed set.

A bracketed set is a group of bracketed photos that all go together, as seen in

Figure 4-5. This is a 5-shot bracketed set, taken at +/- 1.0 EV. You’ll often see

people indicate the exposure settings of a bracketed set as -2/-1/0/+1/+2 EV.

See how it all fits together?



Figure 4-5: A 5-exposure bracketed set at -2/-1/0/+1/+2 EV.

MeteringYour camera has the ability to mea-

sure the amount of light in a scene

and calculate the proper exposure.

Most of the time, the camera meters

the scene when you press the shut-

ter release button halfway down. In

this way, you can take a reading and

then alter the controls to change the

exposure.

There are several different metering

modes. Your camera might have

one of several types such as multi-

metering, center-weighted, spot,

partial, or average. Figure 4-6 shows

two shots of a garage. The lighting

is somewhat complicated. Spot

mode — centered on the dark

garage — raises the exposure so

the interior can be seen but at the

expense of everything else. Matrix

mode leaves the garage too dark

while everything else looks pretty

good.

HDR is generally compatible with

multi-metering, which evaluates all the light sources in a scene. You may

need to switch modes, however, to take into account very bright or dark

areas.

Figure 4-6: Different metering methods often produce different photos.



Configuring Your Camera for HDROne of the most important elements of shooting HDR photography is config-

uring your camera. You change the settings to optimize the outcome for HDR

rather than a traditional digital photograph.

Different types of cameras have different capabilities. Each of the following

sections generalizes your situation by what your camera can do. Find the

method you can use (experimentation notwithstanding) based on the follow-

ing criteria:

✓ Exposure Compensation Bracketing: Only cameras without a manual

mode or auto exposure bracketing (AEB) need to use exposure compen-

sation. This includes most compact digital cameras. Newer models don’t

often allow you to directly alter the exposure. This makes traditional

bracketing impossible.

This is a sneaky workaround for that limitation. You can use exposure

compensation to indirectly change shutter speed and therefore manu-

ally bracket a scene.

Figure 4-7 shows exposure

compensation in action on a

budget compact camera. The

camera is in Programmed Auto

mode — there is no manual

mode and the camera does not

have AEB — and the exposure is

adjusted to -2.0 EV (that’s why

it is so dark) in preparation to

shoot the lower bracket.

✓ Manual Bracketing: Any camera

with a manual mode can manu-

ally bracket a scene. Exposure

compensation bracketing is

very similar but uses the expo-

sure compensation control instead of directly changing shutter speed.

If your camera limits the exposure difference between auto brackets to

less than +/- 1.0 EV, you will find manual bracketing, although a pain, to

be more practical.

✓ Auto Exposure Bracketing (AEB): AEB is found on many dSLRs and the

occasional compact camera or super-zoom. You don’t need a manual

mode for AEB to work on most cameras.

✓ Single-Shot HDR: Any camera that shoots Raw photos can perform

single-shot HDR.

Figure 4-7: Using exposure compensation to shoot HDR.



The following sections take you up to the point just before you make the ini-

tial exposure adjustments and start taking the photos. Bracketing and shoot-

ing single exposures are covered in Chapters 5 and 6.

Setting Up Exposure CompensationExposure compensation bracketing is a fantastic workaround. It enables you

to take a camera without manual controls or auto bracketing and manually

bracket a scene. Bypass limitations and proceed directly to HDR!

This section shows you how to get started and is optimized for cameras that

don’t have manual shooting mode or AEB. I am using a Canon PowerShot

A480 to illustrate. Follow these steps to get your camera set up to shoot

brackets using exposure compensation:

1. Turn on the camera.

Make sure you are in shooting and not playback mode.

Always check to make sure that you have enough battery power to last

for your shooting session. You can change batteries between brack-

eted sets, but it will ruin your composition. Also confirm that you have

enough memory card space to store the photos. If not, delete photos,

swap cards, or download existing photos and then reformat the card.

2. Mount your camera on a tripod.

For compact digital cameras, this is a necessity. The things you have

going against you are a slow frame rate and manual bracketing. Neither

of these allow for hand-held bracketing.

Depending on your personal preference, you can get all the settings

dialed into the camera while you hold it, and then mount it on the

tripod.

3. Based on the specific capabilities of your camera, select an appropri-

ate shooting mode.

Some cameras disable exposure compensation depending on the mode

you are in. Consult your documentation to confirm which modes make

exposure compensation available.

Choose a mode that suits the scene you are shooting:

• Auto: Good all-around mode.

• Programmed Auto: If your camera disables exposure compensa-

tion in auto mode (Canons do this), try programmed auto, often

abbreviated as P, and seen in Figure 4-8. Notice that for this

camera, all shooting modes are accessed through the back screen

by pressing the Mode button.



• Scene: Different cameras

have different scenes

to choose from, such

as Baby, Party, Sports,

Landscape, Portrait, and

so forth. The various

modes seem to be multi-

plying, although they are

fairly consistent within

brands. Each mode will

change the camera’s set-

tings and optimize them

for the given conditions.

Pay particular attention

to your camera’s manual

and identify the right scene

that you are shooting. Focus, in particular, can be thrown off if the

scene is set to something close (like Food) and you are outside and

need focus set to infinity.

4. Choose picture quality, size, and other photo settings.

Choose the largest, best photo quality you can. This will result in the

best HDR image down the road. In addition, you often have creative con-

trol over how the camera processes data from the sensor and converts

it into a JPEG file format. You may have color or style options that pro-

duce a more vivid photo.

5. If possible, turn off the flash.

You don’t want the flash to fire, thinking it is making up for a bad expo-

sure. You want the dark exposure to be dark.

6. If possible, set ISO to the

lowest possible value, as in

Figure 4-9.

This helps fight the noise battle.

If raising ISO increases the noise

on a $2,500 camera, you can

imagine what it’s going to do

on a $150 budget compact.

7. Turn off dynamic range

optimization.

The point of HDR is to use

bracketed photos to capture

increased dynamic range. You

want each photograph to be a

Figure 4-8: The P and Program are pretty big giveaways that you are in Program mode.

Figure 4-9: How low can you go? How low can you go?



true representation of the scene whether it is really bright or dark. DR

optimizers, which often affect JPEGs and leave Raw photos alone, defeat

this purpose.

Having said that, the difference isn’t that great. You won’t be stopped by

the police if you’ve left your DR optimizer on (as I have many times).

8. If necessary (and possible), set focus to infinity and turn face detec-

tion off.

Some compact digital cameras have two or three auto focus modes,

such as normal, macro, and infinity. At the very least, make sure you

are not in macro mode unless you are shooting something very close.

Infinity works very well, assuming you are a reasonable distance away

from the subject. Check to make sure what your minimum focus dis-

tance is or you won’t be able to focus on a close subject.

9. If desired, turn on LCD guide lines.

These little lines form a grid on

the LCD and help you align and

compose the shot. I use them all

the time. (See Figure 4-10.)

10. If desired, turn photo

review off.

When you manually bracket by

altering the exposure control,

you will be working hard to get

the pictures fired off quickly

for most scenes. You lose time

when the camera decides to

review each shot for 2 seconds.

If you need to, shoot a test shot

and review it for the proper focus. Then get back in and shoot the entire

thing without review.

At this point, your camera is set up and ready to shoot brackets. The rest of

the story is explained in Chapter 5.

Preparing to Manually Bracket a SceneSome cameras do not have AEB. Others have it but it’s stinky. For example,

the Sony Alpha 300 is a great entry-level dSLR that has auto bracketing. The

problem is, the exposure difference between brackets is limited to +/- 0.3 or

+/- 0.7 EV. That’s too little for HDR given the fact that this camera limits you

Figure 4-10: Grid lines help you align your subjects.



to 3 shots. You want a wider range of light than this camera offers. Despite

this, the Sony excels at manual bracketing.

Follow these steps (I’m using the Sony Alpha 300 to illustrate) to set up your

camera to manually bracket a scene:

1. Turn on your camera.

Make sure you are in shooting and not playback mode.

Always check to make sure that you have enough battery power to last.

You can change batteries in between bracketed sets, but it will ruin your

composition to have to do this between brackets. Also confirm that

you have enough memory card space to store the photos. If not, delete

photos, swap cards, or download existing photos and then reformat

the card.

2. Mount your camera on a tripod.

Manual bracketing requires you to use a tripod even if you are shooting

Raw exposures because it takes time to change the settings between

brackets. Hand-held bracketing requires a fast frame rate (fps) and AEB

pdq for the fyi of the omg of the HDR.

3. Attach any additional gear.

If you use a remote shutter release or level, attach them to the camera

now. Try not to trip over the remote shutter release cable or bonk your

head on the level.

4. Enter manual shooting mode, as in Figure 4-11.

Manual mode is a must for manual bracketing unless you are using

exposure compensation. If that’s the case, you’re in the wrong section.

Notice that this camera (a Sony Alpha 300)

has a nice big burly mode knob on top —

not all do. Even though this is a dSLR, it still

has an auto mode as well as scenes. These

are irrelevant for manual bracketing,

however.

5. Choose a file format, picture quality, and

other photo settings.

This determines what file format you’ll be

using in software, whether JPEG or Raw.

Raw photos, of course, can be edited when

converting. Pay special attention to JPEG options, as they are much less

forgiving. Once you take a JPEG, that’s pretty much it.

6. Turn off the flash.

Figure 4-11: Set phasers on stun and mode to manual.



7. Set ISO to minimum.

Strive to shoot at ISO 100. This results in the lowest noise per photo,

which can add up over three or more brackets. If you have to raise it, do

so no more than necessary.

8. Set the drive/release mode for a single shot.

Since you’re shooting manual brackets, you don’t want to accidentally

fire off five shots. There’s no real harm in that, but it will make sorting

through the photos on your computer harder.

9. Turn noise reduction off.

You don’t want noise reduction slowing you down. Do what you can

(low ISO) to reduce noise beforehand. Remove the rest in software.

10. Turn off anti-shake or vibration reduction features, as in Figure 4-12.

These features can cause alignment prob-

lems and aren’t necessary when you mount

your camera on a tripod.

11. Confirm metering mode.

Although matrix-type metering (the default

on most cameras) should be sufficient in

most cases, you may need to experiment

with other modes if you aren’t getting the

brackets you want.

If in doubt, look to see if the center bracket (0.0 EV) is a good photo. If it

is, the metering is probably fine, even if it is not scientifically calibrated

and fully verified by the Department of Weights, Measures, and Meters.

If the central subject is too bright or in too much shadow, consider

changing to spot or center-weighted mode.

Bracketing will more than likely take care of this, but you should be look-

ing to get the best possible center exposure. It will pay dividends that

will become more obvious later in the book.

12. Choose a focus mode.

Most of the time, auto focusing is preferred. If the camera has trouble

getting a focus lock, however, you may have to tell Scotty down in

Engineering to back off while you kick in the manual override.

From here, you’re ready to compose the shot and start taking pictures.

Figure 4-12: Super steady anti-shakey is now off. Feel free to move around the cabin.



Dialing in Auto BracketingAuto exposure bracketing (AEB) is a fantastic time-saver. You don’t have to

fiddle with exposure controls in the middle of the shot. All you have to do is

make sure your camera is configured correctly, set up the initial shot, and

then press the button.

Most dSLRs have auto bracketing, although you will find that each manu-

facturer implements it somewhat differently. Currently, Canon limits you to

three shots but allows you to alter the AEB amount up to +/- 2.0 EV in 1/3 EV

increments. Nikon, on the other hand, limits you to a maximum exposure

increment of +/- 1.0 EV but allows you to take up to 9 shots in many cameras.

I use a Nikon D200 to illustrate the steps to set up auto exposure bracketing:

0. For some cameras, pre-configure underlying AEB settings.

That’s right — this step takes place before the first step. It’s like going

to 11, only in reverse.

Depending on your camera, pre-configure AEB before you leave home.

You don’t want to be looking at a sunset that is quickly fading while

you are hunting through your camera’s menu system double-checking a

bunch of complicated AEB settings.

For Nikons, this can take a few minutes but once it’s done you can leave

it alone. Regardless of the brand, check your documentation and read

through the AEB section until you fully understand what’s going on.

Look for settings such as these in your menus (using the Nikon D200 as

an example, default settings indicated by (d)):

• Auto Bracketing Set: This setting (see Figure 4-13, which shows

the D200 bracketing menu) controls what the camera changes to

create the brackets. It can

be exposure, flash level

(this type of bracketing

changes flash intensity

to alter exposure), white

balance, or a combination.

Options are AE & Flash

(d), AE Only, Flash Only,

and WB Bracketing.

• Auto Bracketing in M

Exposure Mode: This set-

ting defines how bracket-

ing is accomplished when

AE & Flash or AE Only

modes are selected and Figure 4-13: Navigating through AEB options.



the camera is in manual mode. Options are Flash/Speed (d),

Flash/Speed/Aperture, Flash/Aperture, and Flash Only.

• Auto Bracketing Order: This one is fairly simple. The option sets

the order the brackets are taken, in relation to what it metered

(MTR). Options are MTR>Under>Over (d) and Under>MTR>Over.

• Auto Bracketing Selection Method: Defines how to turn bracket-

ing on or off. Options are Manual Value Select (d) and Preset Value

Select.

Not all cameras require this much setup. With many Canon and Sony

cameras, for example, you just turn it on! The point here is to show

you that it can be complicated and scare you into reading your manual.

Without further reader intimidation, let’s continue.

1. Turn on your camera.

Make sure you are in shooting and not playback mode. Always check to

make sure that you have enough battery power to last. You can change

batteries in between bracketed sets, but it will ruin your composition.

Also confirm that you have enough memory card space to store the

photos. If not, delete photos, swap cards, or download existing photos

and then reformat the card.

2. If desired, mount your camera on a tripod.

If you have a fast enough frame rate and AEB, you can get by with shoot-

ing hand-held brackets. The caveat is your shutter speed has to be fast

enough to avoid blurring.

For example, taking exterior shots in good light allows a fast shut-

ter speed, even at an aperture like f/8. Inside is another story. It’s not

unheard of for the bright end of a bracketed set to take a few seconds

inside. If you can’t get shutter speed fast enough to avoid blurring, grab

the tripod.

3. If you’re using a tripod, attach any additional gear.

If you are shooting hand-held AEB, you won’t need a remote shutter

release or level. Otherwise, attach them to the camera now.

4. Choose a shooting mode.

Depending on you and your camera, you may want to be in fully manual

mode, but you can also decide on something a little more automatic.

Double-check with your camera’s manual to make sure your shooting

mode and AEB are simpatico.

Here are some advantages of using specific modes with AEB:

• Programmed Auto (aka Program AE, Programmed AE, and so

on): Programmed modes are fully automatic. Enter the mode and

that’s that. The camera will set the optimum exposure and use AEB

(if available in this mode) to capture the brackets. The downside



to this is that you don’t directly control shutter speed or aperture,

which takes the creative control out of your hands.

You may have the option of using a Flexible Program, also called

Program Shift. In this case, select aperture and shutter speed from

a preset list of combinations.

• Manual: You have the most control in manual mode, which is often

good. It minimizes the chance some sort of auto ISO gizmo will

kick in or your flash will decide to flash when you least expect it.

Manual means you’re in charge.

• Aperture Priority: This is a very popular mode for HDR because

it lets you set the depth of field for creative and focus purposes

and lets the camera figure out the right shutter speed to make it

happen.

• Shutter Priority: This mode is less beneficial in bracketing because

anything moving fast enough to demand a high shutter speed is

moving too fast to bracket. On the other hand, if you are going sans tripod, dial in a fast shutter speed to minimize or eliminate blurring

caused by your own movement.

• Scene: Great for beginners. Select a scene like Landscape and

you’re off to the HDRaces.

Remember, all of these modes except manual only work for HDR when

you use auto bracketing. Otherwise, the exposure is set and you will not

be able to change it except by using the Exposure Control.

5. Confirm file format, picture quality, and other photo settings.

6. Enable auto exposure bracketing.

You have to turn AEB on. For some cameras (such as Sony cameras), it

may be accessed through the Drive button. Some cameras may have a

button (Bracket or Fn), while others require you to access and enable

bracketing from the menu system.

7. If possible, select the number of brackets, as in Figure 4-14.

Many cameras default to 3 exposures and 3 exposures only (read that with

a Sean Connery accent à la The Hunt for Red October). If you can choose

more, your bracketed set will have a greater overall dynamic range.

From a practical perspective, 3 is fine, although you may miss some range

if the scene you shoot has a tremendous contrast between lights and

darks. Increase the number of brackets to 5 if your maximum bracket-

ing range is only +/-1.0 EV. You can go to 7 or 9 exposures (Nikon users,

mainly) if you are concerned that you won’t capture enough range.

8. Choose a bracketing range/increment.

A good choice for 3 brackets is +/- 2.0 EV. This gives you a total range

from the underexposed to the overexposed photo of 4.0 EV. You may be

limited to +/- 0.3 or 0.7 EV. If this is the case, consider going to manual



bracketing or take more than

one AEB set starting at different

points.

Use +/- 1.0 EV if you have no

choice. You’ll get good overall

dynamic range if you shoot 5 or

more brackets.

9. Set Release (Drive) mode.

For AEB, set the release mode

to high speed, continuous, or

high speed continuous to take

the bracketed shots with one

press of the shutter release

button and in the shortest

amount of time.

10. Turn off the flash if not needed.

11. Set ISO to minimum to control

noise.

12. Turn noise reduction off to ensure a good frame rate.

13. Turn off anti-shake or vibration reduction.

This is if you want to be really nerdy about things. I’ve made just about

every mistake possible while shooting HDR, including forgetting to turn

off anti-shake or vibration reduction. It’s not going to matter that much.

But, if you want to go all-out, camera manuals tell you to turn vibration

reduction/anti-shake features off if you use a tripod.

14. Choose a metering mode for the best center exposure (the one at 0.0 EV).

15. Choose a focus mode that works best for the given situation.

That’s it. You’re ready to compose the shot and start shooting.

Getting Ready for Single-Shot HDRThe great thing about shooting single-shot HDR is you don’t have to do any-

thing special.

The biggest problem you will face is forgetting to change the settings around

if you decide to switch back and forth between different types of photogra-

phy with the same camera.

Figure 4-14: Five brackets selected with a range of +/-1.0 EV between each shot.



Here is a handy checklist of things to look for when switching from HDR back

to normal photography:

✓ Turn off AEB: You may have to set the number of brackets to 0. I’ve

taken many a bracketed set when I thought I was just shooting normal

photos.

✓ Zero previously set exposure compensation: I hate it when I forget

to do this and afterward take a terribly blown out picture because the

compensation was set to +2.0 EV. In fact, it’s even worse when I forget to

reset the camera and give it to one of my kids to take photos with. Figure

4-15 shows the result. My son Ben took this well-composed photo of his

brother Sam mowing the yard at +2.0 EV.

Figure 4-15: That’s one sunny day — +2.0 EV sunnier, in fact.

✓ Turn on anti-shake/vibration reduction measures: You will probably be

shooting hand held, which means these features are very helpful.

✓ Turn on noise reduction features: This is not as critical because these

kick in only for high ISO or long exposures. Still, it’s nice to have. If you

prefer to handle noise in software, always leave this off.

✓ Turn on auto-ISO features: This moves the camera back toward auto.

The theme here, and with many of these settings, is to help you get the

right exposure. You won’t be shooting brackets, so it’s even more impor-

tant to nail the exposure.



✓ Set proper shooting mode: You may have a favorite mode you like to

keep the camera in while not shooting brackets.

✓ Set desired metering mode: Another safeguard to get the right exposure

for the conditions you are in and the subject you are shooting.

✓ Return to desired focus mode: This is a personal preference.

✓ Enable auto flash, if necessary: It can be a surprise when you try to take

that perfect photo, need the flash, and have it off.

✓ Return to preferred release/drive mode: Mainly for consistency. You

don’t want surprises.

Other helpful hintsHere are some more hints that don’t neatly fit elsewhere. It’s nothing huge, but they are help-ful, hints, and most definitely other.

✓ Reset the camera: One problem with shooting HDR is that it generally requires the camera to be in a completely differ-ent mode, than, say, shooting portraits. You have the ISO set to its minimum, may have bracketing enabled, and have pos-sibly turned off auto focus. When you pick up the camera to take photos of your kids and change everything, make sure to reset it. Some cameras (the Nikon D200 to name one), have shooting banks that allow you to save different camera configurations for different purposes. You might set up an HDR, Interior Portraits, Outside Portraits, and Macro bank.

✓ Cleaning: Before going out on an impor-tant shoot, clean your camera and lenses.

Clean the camera sensor (dSLRs only) only if you must. There’s no sense trying to clean it when there is no visible dust. You risk adding more dust with no discernable upside.

✓ Starting with a clean card: Assuming you have downloaded the photos, wipe your memory card every time you start a new shoot. Reformat it from the camera menu system so your image numbering system stays intact.

Warning: Make sure you’ve downloaded the photos first!

✓ Batteries: It isn’t fun to run out of batteries while on scene shooting HDR, especially if you are out in the hinterlands, shoot-ing impressive landscapes. Buy more. Recharge them and keep them in your bag. Look at your battery meter (if you have one) before getting started.


5Bracketing Exposures for HDR

In This Chapter▶ Deciding how many brackets to shoot

▶ Comparing differences

▶ Bracketing with exposure compensation

▶ Manual bracketing

▶ Shooting automatic brackets

▶ Using an external light meter

Bracketing, the technical heart of HDR, is the photographic process you use

to shoot differently exposed photos of the same scene. Each photo con-

tains a segment or slice of the total dynamic range that was present. Together,

they capture something close to what you see with your eyes.

It sounds simple enough. Shoot a few photos of a scene and

then have the software put it all together as an HDR image

that you tone map. When you get ready to take the

photos, however, several questions come to mind.

✓ How many brackets do you need? Two, three,

four, or more?

✓ What exposure value (EV) distance should you

use: +/–1.0 EV or +/–2.0 EV? More? Less?

✓ How do you shoot brackets on different cam-

eras with different capabilities?

✓ How do you shoot multiple sets of auto exposure

bracketing (AEB) of a single scene?

✓ Can you use an external light meter?

The answers to these questions — the subjects of this chapter — provide a

firm foundation for you to shoot digital HDR photography with many different

types of cameras in all sorts of situations.



Big Answers for Big Bracketing QuestionsThe two fundamental questions that dominate most discussions of HDR are

✓ How many brackets do you need to shoot?

✓ What is the best format: JPEG or Raw?

The answers to these questions are both aesthetic and technical in nature:

✓ Aesthetic: The differences are largely perceptual. It depends on what

you like and the level of quality you can live with.

✓ Technical: A scene’s dynamic range affects how many brackets should

be used to fully capture it, and the capabilities of your camera play an

important role. Because of these issues, the number of brackets you

want to shoot can change from one set to the next.

If your camera shoots JPEG and not Raw photos, you obviously have no

choice but to shoot your brackets with JPEG.

Deciding how many brackets to shootKnowing how many brackets to shoot is clearly an important factor in HDR.

It provides the much-needed information of where to start manual bracketing

and how to configure (if possible) AEB on your camera.

Finding the right answer to this question depends on several things. The

dynamic range of the scene, the capabilities and limitations of your gear and

your personal style all play a role.

✓ The dynamic range of the scene: Three exposures shot at –2/0/+2 EV

can handle most scenes. Scenes with the sun, white clouds, bright reflec-

tions off water, metal, or buildings, might require more underexposed

brackets, and scenes with very dark areas (either in shadow or because

of the light) need more overexposed brackets.

A very high dynamic range is shown in Figure 5-1. In this case, the sun

presents a very strong light source, and the dark shadows along the

tree line are at the opposite end of the spectrum. Such a scenario calls

for more brackets if you can shoot them. If you can’t (or don’t want to)

shoot more, you’ll clip (exposure data goes off the scale in either direc-

tion, getting cut off and lost) lows or highs.


89 Chapter 5: Bracketing Exposures for HDR

-4.0 EV

0.0 EV

+4.0 EV

Figure 5-1: This scene has a very large dynamic range because of the sun and shadows.



✓ Your gear: Your gear limits the number of brackets you can take in

many ways:

• If using exposure compensation, you’re limited to an EV range of

+/–2.0 EV. This effectively limits the number of brackets you can

reasonably take.

• If using AEB, you’re stuck with how many brackets you can pro-

gram the camera to take. Often, this is only three. Some cameras

can shoot more. Alternatively, you can take multiple bracketed

sets (centered on different center exposures) or revert to manual

brackets.

• If using manual mode, you’re limited by shutter speed and aper-

ture. If the scene is very bright, you might not be able to shoot fast

enough (say, 1/4000 second or faster) at f/8. You might have to

stop-down (decrease the aperture by increasing the f-number).

For example, the dark exposure in Figure 5-1 (taken with a Nikon

D200) was shot with a shutter speed of 1/2500 second, well beyond

what most compact digital cameras can take at f/8. Comparatively,

the Panasonic Lumix LZ8 maxes out at f/8 and 1/2000 second in

manual mode. Because its aperture can’t get any smaller and the

shutter speed can’t get any faster, that photo is beyond the capa-

bilities of the LZ8.

✓ Your style: Some photographers don’t deviate from three brackets

at –2/0/+2 EV. It’s their style. Some like five brackets at +/–1.0 EV or

some other combination. That’s the great thing about artistic freedom:

It’s free.

Table 5-1 summarizes the rationale for choosing a specific number of

brackets.

Table 5-1 Bracketology SummaryBrackets Rationale Notes

2 Being different; fewer shots to process.

Most AEB modes will not shoot 2 brackets.

3 Standard AEB brackets; good range if separated by +/–2.0 EV.

Works well manually and with exposure compensa-tion; less effective at +/–1.0 EV and under.



Brackets Rationale Notes

4 It is sometimes necessary to depart from symmetric brackets to account for a particularly dark or bright area.

You end up with exposures looking something like –4/–2/0/+2 EV.

5 Less noise; more details. Similar to 3 exposures at +/–2.0 EV, only 5 exposures are normally shot at +/–1.0 EV with AEB. Manually, you would get a large dynamic range shooting +/–2.0 EV.

7–9 Incredible dynamic range (to the point of overkill for many scenes) if shooting at +/–2.0 EV. Most shoot 7 and 9 bracketed sets using +/–1.0 EV.

Best with a pro-caliber dSLR. Much more dif-ficult if you are shooting manually (forget about moving objects like clouds). Impossible with exposure compensation.

9+ You’re shooting the surface of the sun from the dark side of the moon or you’re trying to impress your date.

Send me a postcard. I’ve always been interested in the dark side of the moon, espe-cially as it relates to Pink Floyd.

As you get more experience, your own bracketing pattern and preferences

emerge. You might settle on using three exposures, for example, separated

by +/–2.0 EV. That serves as your baseline, which you can modify or extend

based on the conditions at the scene.

Seeing the differenceReading about why you can or should shoot more or fewer brackets is one

thing. Seeing the difference among different numbers of brackets of the same

scene — and comparing them in Raw versus JPEG format — is even more

illuminating.

Upcoming figures present a close crop of the same scene, processed using

different numbers of brackets in different formats. A differently cropped

version of the brackets of the full image is shown earlier in Figure 5-1, and



the final, processed shot (nine exposures from TIFFs) is shown here. For

the upcoming examples, I zoomed in on the sun and tree line to show both

extremes of the spectrum of light and dark in this scene.

The same settings were used to generate and tone map the HDR images.

The tone mapping settings in Photomatix Pro 3.2 are fairly plain. Strength is

100, Color Saturation is 80, Smoothing is in Slider mode at 0.0, Microcontrast

is +5, White Point is 2.231%, and the Black Point is 0.559%. All other values

are at their defaults. The final results have not been spruced up in any way.

This is how it looks straight out of Photomatix Pro. For information on what

these settings mean and how to use them in Photomatix Pro, jump over to

Chapter 8.

Figure 5-2 illustrates an HDR image tone mapped from JPEG brackets. Pay

special attention to the sun, the rays of light, clouds, the tops of the trees,

and the shadows in the trees.

Table 5-2 summarizes what can be gleaned from looking at the different

swatches in Figure 5-2. Just so you know, posterizing (not to be confused with

pasteurizing) looks like a badly compressed JPEG or an old-fashioned GIF

stuck with 256 of the wrong colors. You expect to see a smooth color gradi-

ent but instead get distinct bands or areas of blech.



Two exposures at -2/+2 EV

Five exposures at -2/-1/0/+1/+2 EV

Seven exposures at -3/-2/-1/0/+1/+2/+3 EV Nine exposures at -4/-3/-2/-1/0/+1/+2/+3/+4 EV


Three exposures at -2/0/+2 EV

Figure 5-2: HDR images processed from JPEG brackets.



Table 5-2 Comparing JPEG BracketsBrackets EV

DifferenceTotal EV Range

Notes

2 4.0 4 Surprisingly good from a distance; posterized close in; noisy

3 2.0 4 Much better; smoother gradations of color; less noise

5 1.0 4 Very good; even smoother and less noise

5 2.0 8 Better dynamic range (look at the shadows); posterization (you have to be zoomed in quite a ways to see it) and noise problems

7 1.0 6 Very good dynamic range, less noise

9 1.0 8 Best image quality; greatest dynamic range with fewest problems

Overall, JPEGs perform well. If you look at the overall image versus this mag-

nified area, they all look pretty good. If that’s your intent, you don’t need to

overdo it. Shooting more brackets at a smaller EV distance lowers noise and

gives you a smoother gradation between colors.

Figure 5-3 illustrates the same scene created from Raw exposures. Compare

each set of images in terms of the number of brackets and their EV differ-

ence. Make sure to compare similar images between JPEG and TIFF.

Table 5-3 summarizes the differences among the number of brackets when

created from Raw exposures converted to 16-bit TIFFs.

Table 5-3 Comparing TIFF (from Raw) BracketsBrackets EV

DifferenceTotal EV Range

Notes

2 4.0 4 Better range than comparable JPEG; smoother; some noise problems

3 2.0 4 A definite improvement over 2 exposures; a bit noisy

5 1.0 4 Very good; less noise

5 2.0 8 Large dynamic range; less noise

7 1.0 6 Smooth; good looking

9 1.0 8 Excellent dynamic range; very low noise



Two exposures at -2/+2 EV


Seven exposures at -3/-2/-1/0/+1/+2/+3 EV Nine exposures at -4/-3/-2/-1/0/+1/+2/+3/+4 EV


Three exposures at -2/0/+2 EV

Figure 5-3: HDR images processed from brackets shot in Raw and converted to TIFF.



Even at the lowest level, 16-bit TIFFs (from Raw) perform better than JPEGs

because there is more dynamic range inherent in a 16-bit TIFF than in an 8-bit

JPEG. Is the difference earth-shattering? Not really, but if you’re going for the

highest-quality image that can be printed out at a larger size to sell (giclée prints, which are fine art prints of the highest quality), TIFFs do make a defi-

nite difference. (See Chapter 11 for more about creating TIFFs for print and

archiving.)

The quality improvement in TIFFs mirrors that seen in JPEGs. The more

brackets you shoot, the greater the dynamic range you capture. Shooting

with a smaller EV difference (+/–1.0 EV) results in less noise, and a combina-

tion of more brackets with small EV differences results in smoother color.

The difference between five exposures shot at +/–1.0 EV rather than +/–2.0 EV

shows this trade-off very well.

The bottom line is to shoot as many brackets in Raw as practical with a small

EV difference if you want the highest quality. Three brackets at +/–2.0 and

five brackets at +/–1.0 EV are good for most situations. Use JPEGs if you want

a good image but aren’t concerned about getting the most quality possible.

Shooting Bracketed PhotosShooting brackets is where it’s at. This is where you feel the most like an HDR

photographer because it’s different than shooting single exposures. Make sure

your camera is set up according to the type of brackets you can (or want to)

shoot (see Chapter 4) and follow the steps in the appropriate section.

Read through all the sections, regardless of which method you gravitate to so

that you can gain important perspectives on how to shoot HDR. This comes

in handy, no matter what the situation.

The steps outlined in the upcoming sections on exposure compensation and

manual bracketing are predicated on a few things:

✓ Three — the number of the brackets, that

is: The steps are based on taking three

brackets, as shown in Figure 5-4. This

illustration shows three brackets set up

in relation to the EV index: one at –2.0 EV,

another at 0.0 EV, and the third at +2.0 EV.

If you wish to shoot more or fewer brackets, change your approach

accordingly. For example, five brackets at +/–1.0 EV require that you set

exposure compensation to –2.0, –1.0, 0.0, +1.0, and +2.0 for the respec-

tive brackets.

Figure 5-4: Three brackets separated by +/–2.0 EV.



✓ The order of the brackets shall be under, even, over: You can, of

course, shoot them in any order you like, but for the sake of clarity, the

examples follow this format.

✓ Exposure jumping: Sometimes the exposure jumps around between

brackets. After you start shooting, ignore any changes and be consistent

with the bracket distance. If necessary (you think the exposure is really

hopping), start over when the conditions are more stable.

One more thing: All examples were shot at ISO 100 and an aperture of f/8

unless otherwise noted. You can vary these settings at your own discretion,

of course.

Using exposure compensationExposure compensation is a fallback method to shoot brackets. If you don’t

have a camera that has a manual shooting mode or AEB (which includes

almost anyone without a dSLR or advanced compact/super-zoom), there

is no other option. The main advantage is you can use a camera otherwise

unsuited to HDR without immediately having to go buy something expensive.

Another major benefit is that it steps you away from the inner workings of

your camera and exposure control. You don’t have to mess with shutter

speed or most other settings. Just call up exposure compensation and set it

to shoot the appropriate brackets — the camera handles the rest (it changes

shutter speeds for you). Follow these steps to shoot brackets using the expo-

sure compensation method:

1. Set up your camera.

See Chapter 4 for the lowdown on this important step.

2. Compose the scene.

3. Double-check camera settings.

Make sure that you’re in the right shooting mode and that the flash

is off.

Check your camera’s manual to see what modes exposure compensa-

tion is compatible with. Depending on the camera, you can control

exposure compensation and disable flash while in many scene modes,

programmed auto, and possibly auto mode. For example, the Canon

PowerShot A480 allows you to force the flash off in auto mode, but it

doesn’t let you access exposure compensation. You must be in program

or scene mode for that.

If you’re shooting a scene with clouds, you should turn off review (when

the camera shows you the photo you just took for a few seconds) so you

can get right back to shooting. Look under your system configuration or

playback menu and turn off review or auto review.



4. Meter the scene.

Press the shutter release button halfway down. You might see exposure

or focus information appear, telling you the camera has “got it.”

If flashing red lights appear and the camera can’t focus, you might not

be able to continue given the current conditions. This can happen in

low-light conditions when focusing on a neutral gray object, such as

clouds at dusk. You might need to switch to manual focusing if you

have it.

5. Set exposure compensation to –2.0 EV.

This normally requires you to press a button (the universal symbol for

exposure compensation is shown in the margin) to bring up the expo-

sure compensation index on the back of your camera, and then press

another button to lower the number to –2.0 EV.

6. Shoot the underexposed bracket.

This one is dark, as shown in Figure 5-5. Notice that the tree to the left

and the foreground are completely dark. The sunset looks nice. One

down, two to go.

Figure 5-5: The underexposed photo appears dark; this is good.



If you turned off review, you can continue right into the next step.

Otherwise, you might have to wait until the camera comes back

into shooting mode to continue. You can speed it up sometimes by

nudging the shutter release button (but not enough to take another

photo).

7. Set exposure compensation to 0.0 EV.

This brings the exposure back to normal, as seen in Figure 5-6. You

always want one good photo at 0.0 EV.

8. Take the center bracket.

Figure 5-6 shows the exposure at 0.0 EV. This is basically a standard

snapshot. Notice, however, that the dynamic range of this scene is too

large to capture. The foreground is a bit too dark.

Figure 5-6: The center bracket is a good average exposure.

9. Set exposure compensation to +2.0 EV.

This raises the exposure (as shown on the meter in Figure 5-7) to create

an overexposed photo.



10. Take the overexposed bracket.

The final bracket is shown in Figure 5-7. The highlights are blown out,

but what was previously in shadow is now well lit. That’s it!

Figure 5-7: The final bracket captures the details in shadows.

The mechanics of shooting brackets using exposure compensation are pretty

simple. You’re not working directly with shutter speeds or anything more

complicated than moving the EV index from –2.0 to 0.0 to +2.0.

Manual bracketingManual bracketing is very similar to shooting using exposure compensation,

only you’re directly manipulating shutter speed and watching its effect on

EV. And, like exposure compensation, one of the main reasons to use manual

bracketing is if your camera doesn’t have AEB, or if it’s not suitable for HDR.

For example, I shot HDR manually for quite some time with a Sony Alpha 300

dSLR. It has AEB, but the maximum exposure difference between brackets

is only +/– 0.7 EV. This results in a total range between the lower and upper

brackets of 1.4 EV — far less that I wanted for most situations.



Whether you have a camera that shoots AEB or not, learning to shoot manual

brackets is very helpful. After a bit of practice, HDR photography (brackets,

exposure, and the other aspects or terminology) becomes imprinted on your

brain. You’ll also get better working with your camera this way.

Follow these steps to shoot manual brackets:


You can read how in Chapter 4.


3. Double-check camera settings.

You want to be in manual or aperture priority mode with the right

f-number dialed in, the ISO as low as you can go, flash off (mostly), focus

mode set to your preference, anti-shake turned off, noise reduction off,

review off, drive mode set to your preference, and metering mode set.

4. Meter the shot.

Press the shutter release button halfway down to get a meter reading.

The camera shows you where your current settings put the exposure.

Make sure you get a good focus as well, if using auto focus. This is trig-

gered by metering. If you’re manually focusing, now is a good time to

double-check it.

5. Set the shutter speed so that the EV meter reads –2.0 EV.

For the first exposure, you’re moving from wherever the camera hap-

pened to be set up to where you need it to go. That can sometimes be a

long way.

When you shoot in manual mode, you’re paying attention to two things

at once: the shutter speed and EV index.

Bracketing in the beginningIt might interest you to know that bracketing sprang into being well before HDR and digital photography. Bracketing was originally used to give photographers different exposures to choose from — hoping one would nail it. Of course, this was in the days of film, when you

couldn’t call up a preview of the photo you just took on the camera’s LCD screen to know whether it was off and you needed to reshoot. Believe it or not, bracketing was such a viable technique that even some film cameras have auto bracketing features.



For most cameras, three “clicks” of shutter speed equal 1.0 EV.

Therefore, if the camera says that you’re at +1.0 EV, shorten the shutter

speed (remember that faster shutter speeds result in less exposure) by

nine increments.

Putting that in terms of shutter speeds, Figure 5-8 illustrates what you

need to do. If you shoot at 1/30 (1.0 EV), you’ll go past 1/40, 1/50, 1/60

(0.0 EV), 1/80, 1/100, 1/125 (–1.0 EV), 1/160, 1/200, and come to rest on

1/250 (–2.0 EV), which is –3.0 EV from where you were (which is relevant

only to show you how far you had to go to get here), but –2.0 EV is on

the exposure index (which is where you want to be). The final EV index

is also illustrated.

Initial meter and movement Set, with shutter speed

Figure 5-8: Move the exposure from the first reading to -2.0 EV to set your first bracket.

For the underexposed photo, double-check the shutter speed to make

sure it’s fast enough for the scene at hand. If you’re shooting fast-moving

clouds, for example, a slow shutter speed can smear them. If needed,

increase your aperture or ISO.

6. Shoot the underexposed bracket.

If you’re trying to

move swiftly, here

is where you reap

the dividends of

turning off review.

Otherwise, you

have to wait or

speed up the

camera to get back

to shooting because

the camera wants to

show you the photo

you just took.

Figure 5-9 shows

an underexposed

photo of a barn near

sunset. The sky and

clouds show up

very nicely at –2.0 EV and f/8, and none of the highlights are blown.

Figure 5-9: Pay attention to clouds and highlights in this bracket.



7. Set shutter speed

so the EV meter

reads 0.0 EV.

You’re reduc-

ing the shutter

speed, as shown

by the meter in

Figure 5-10. This

raises the expo-

sure because the

camera lets more

light in to strike

the sensor.

8. Take the center

bracket.

It’s especially

helpful to have

the center bracket

perfectly exposed,

as shown in Figure

5-10. This way, you

have a good photo

regardless of

whether the HDR

processing looks

good or not. In

addition, you can

use this center

bracket as a blend-

ing layer in soft-

ware to heighten

the sense of real-

ism. In this case,

the tree branches

to the left are

moving, which

causes a problem

in the final HDR

image. That is

overcome by using

the branches from

this photo.

9. Set the shutter

speed so the EV

meter reads +2.0 EV.

Getting faster again, as shown in Figure 5-11.

Figure 5-10: Shadows are brightening, but highlights are, too.

Figure 5-11: Highlights are blown out; this is okay for this bracket.



10. Take the overexposed bracket.

The final sequence of this bracketed set is shown in Figure 5-11.

Notice that the sky is almost completely washed out, but details in

the grass, barn, and trees to the right are brought out. This is what

bracketing does.

With time, you should be able to knock out a three-to-five exposure bracket

fairly quickly, assuming the shutter speeds are reasonably fast. This means

you can overcome some cloud movement, but not all.

Auto bracketingAuto bracketing is the bee’s knees. It takes a tremendous amount of work-

load off you and transfers it to your camera. (Make sure to tip your camera

afterward by giving it a healthy battery recharge.) Not only that (yes, there

are advantages beyond catering to your life of leisure), you shoot faster. A

camera with a normal frame rate can shoot faster brackets than even the

most dexterous photographer in manual mode. The faster your camera, the

more scenes you can shoot that are hard or impossible manually — moving

clouds, some foliage, people (in some circumstances). AEB also opens up the

world of hand-held, bracketed HDR photography.

Follow these steps to shoot auto exposure

brackets. This example consists of five brack-

ets at +/–1.0 EV, as shown on the meter in

Figure 5-12.


See Chapter 4 for all things camera. This example consists of five brack-

ets at +/–1.0 EV, as shown on the meter in Figure 5-12.


3. Double-check the camera settings.

Nothing worse than thinking you’re going to take five nice brackets of

a scene only to find out (after the fact) you’re in the wrong shooting

mode, forget to manually focus, and accidentally are at ISO 1600.

4. Meter the shot.

For most cameras, press the shutter release (or remote) button halfway

down to meter the scene.

If you have a blazingly fast dSLR and are in continuous high-speed shooting

mode, it’s easy to accidentally fire off ten shots while you’re trying to meter.

Some cameras, like the Nikon D200, have alternate metering buttons. I use

the AF-ON button (learn what every button does on your camera) to safely

meter and auto focus without accidentally taking pictures.

Figure 5-12: Five brackets are set up at +/–1.0 EV.



5. If you’re in a shooting mode that requires you to set the exposure, do

so by adjusting the shutter speed so that the EV index reads 0.0.

Consider the following, though:

• You might need to offset the exposure or change the metering

mode in conditions with extreme highs or lows. The problem is

that there is often no way of knowing this until after you take a

round of brackets.

The upcoming example shots bear this out. The low bracket, shot

at –2.0 EV, still blew out the clouds at the top right. Thankfully, you

can manipulate Raw exposures easily in an editor. The exposure

for this bracket was lowered to reveal details, and then saved as a

new low bracket, adding to the total number. The final sequence

was six exposures at –3/–2/–1/0/+1/+2 EV rather than the five

original shots.

• If you have a live histogram on your camera, you can use it to esti-

mate whether you can capture the entire dynamic range in your

sequence of brackets.

• If you’re in a semi-automatic or programmed mode, the camera

might set the exposure automatically.

With those caveats and alternate realities out the way, it’s time to

continue.

6. Press and hold the shutter release button (or remote) to take the

photos.

Bada bing, bada boom. One set of brackets (as shown in Figure 5-13),

coming up! Notice that the difference between each exposure is not tre-

mendous. This is because they are separated by +/– 1.0 EV. These brack-

ets cover the same range as three exposures at +/–2.0 EV.

Shooting multiple auto bracketsIf you have AEB but don’t have the greatest EV range (at and under +/–1.0,

like the Sony Alpha 300), you shoot multiple AEB sets one right after another

to extend your dynamic range. Here’s how:

1. Set up to perform a standard AEB set.

You’ll want to be in manual shooting mode or aperture priority for this.

2. Meter the shot.

3. Set the underexposed AEB exposure region.

This works just like shooting manual brackets, only you’re shooting

bracketed sets.



-2.0 EV -1.0 EV

0.0 EV +1.0 EV +2.0 EV

Figure 5-13: Five exposures shot using AEB separated by +/–1.0 EV.

For example, if you’re using a compact digital camera that has AEB but

limits the range to +/–1.0, a normal bracketed set would include expo-

sures at –1.0, 0.0, and +1.0 EV. Lower the initial exposure (through expo-

sure compensation on a compact digital camera without manual mode,

or directly with shutter speed on a camera with more control) to –2.0

EV. This set captures –3.0, –2.0 and –1.0 EV.



In this example, I’m using an EV difference

between brackets of +/–0.7 (two-thirds) of

an EV. The EV range has been lowered, as

shown in Figure 5-14, to center on –1.3 EV.

The lower bracket extends to –2.0, and the

upper bracket is at –0.7 EV.

4. Shoot the first set.

Shoot each set as standard AEB. Press the shutter release button (or

your remote) and hold it down to finish the set. Figure 5-15 shows the

first three brackets, separated by +/–0.7 EV.

-2.0 EV -1.3 EV -0.7 EV

Figure 5-15: You see a smaller difference between exposures at +/–0.7 EV.

5. Set the middle AEB exposure region.

Raise the EV to 0.0. This is your center

bracket with exposures at –0.7, 0.0, and

+0.7 EV. The meter is shown in Figure 5-16.

Notice that the lower bracket is a duplicate

of the upper bracket of the first set.

6. Shoot the middle set.

The middle set of brackets, as shown in Figure 5-17, acts like a center

exposure of a normal bracketed set. If the clouds or other objects are

moving too fast and you get smearing in the final image, you can fall

back to this set and process it separately.

-0.7 EV 0.0 EV +0.7 EV

Figure 5-17: The middle set has two duplicate exposures.

Figure 5-14: The first AEB set is well underexposed.

Figure 5-16: This set acts like a center exposure.



7. Set the upper AEB region.

Raise the EV to +1.3. This captures brack-

ets at +0.7, +1.3, and +2.0 EV, as seen on the

meter in Figure 5-18. Notice that the lower

bracket is another duplicate.

8. Shoot the upper set.

The last set is shown in Figure 5-19.

+0.7 EV +1.3 EV +2.0 EV

Figure 5-19: The upper set is collectively overexposed.

In the end, as seen in Figure 5-20, you’ll have nine bracketed photos. If you

have shot with the exposure ranges in this example, you have exposures at

–2.0, –1.3, –0.7, 0.0, +0.7, +1.3, and +2.0. Two of these are duplicates. You can

toss those out during software processing. The final bracketed set comprises

seven exposures +/–0.7 EV with a total range of 4 EV. Not ideal, but compared

to having too little dynamic range for some scenes, it’s the way to go.

–2.0 EV –1.3 EV –0.7 EV 0.0 EV

Set 2Duplicates

Set 3Set 1

+0.7 EV +1.3 EV +2.0 EV

Figure 5-20: Throw away any duplicate exposures and keep the rest.

Figure 5-18: The upper and final AEB set.



Using Alternate Metering StrategiesUsing a preconceived bracketing strategy works well, but the downside is not

knowing whether you’re really capturing the full dynamic range of the scene

with the brackets (if you pay attention to a live histogram, you’re closer to

knowing). A more studious approach relies on metering highs and lows in the

scene with a light meter or your camera to come up with a more reliable esti-

mate of how many brackets you should shoot.

These strategies are not as accessible if you use exposure compensation.

Most cameras limit the total EV compensation exposure range from –2.0 to

+2.0 EV. Therefore, it’s important to have a camera with a manual shooting

mode for these methods.

Working with a light meterUsing an external light meter takes a bit more time and preparation than setting

up your camera and shooting normal brackets, not to mention the fact that you

have to purchase a light meter with a spot mode. After the metering and figuring

are done, however, you’ll shoot the photos much like manual bracketing.

Follow these steps to use the alternate metering strategy with a light meter:

1. Set up your light meter.

Keep the aperture constant by using aperture priority mode on your

light meter. Set ISO and aperture to the same as your camera.

These examples use ISO 100 and the aperture of f/8. Changing these set-

tings won’t materially affect how you shoot anything — as long as you’re

consistent within a bracketed set.

Figure 5-21 shows my light meter (and

my wife’s hand). The white thing at the

top — a Lumisphere — is used to measure

incident (as opposed to reflected) light.

Incident mode is used to get an average

exposure and set the shutter speed for

0.0 EV.

Use spot mode to meter the lows and

highs. For this meter, you must look

through the eyepiece on the right and out

the spot lens to the left, which you aim at

the location you want to measure.

Please refer to your light meter manual for

the specifics on how to configure and use

your light meter.

Figure 5-21: An external light meter.



2. Set up your camera for manual bracketing, as detailed in Chapter 4.


4. Meter a highlight with your external light meter.

Figure 5-22 illustrates putting the spot circle of the light meter on a

bright spot in the scene while taking a measurement. In this case, the

bright front end on the car works well. You can take a few different mea-

surements of various areas of the scene (the sky, chrome, and so on)

and choose the brightest one.

Make a note of the shutter speed. This is where the high bracket is shot.

In this case, it’s 1/1000 second.

5. Meter a shadow with the light meter.

Figure 5-23 shows the meter looking at a dark area of the scene. Make a

note of the reading. In this case, the shutter speed is 1/4 second.

Figure 5-22: Try to meter the brightest and darkest spots.



Figure 5-23: This is a good, dark area of the scene.

6. Take an average light reading.

Switch to Incident mode on your light meter and take an average reading

of the scene. You can also use your camera for this, even when mounted

on a tripod.

This measures the overall exposure and gives you the shutter speed

necessary to set exposure to 0.0 EV value. Make a note of the shutter

speed. In this case, the reading is 1/60 second for 0.0 EV.

7. Calculate the points at which you want to bracket.

You have now measured three data points and have three shutter

speeds to show for it. You have the low and high points of the scene

from Spot mode and the 0.0 EV point by using the Luminance mode

(or your camera).

Using this information, decide on a bracketing strategy (refer to

Figures 5-22 and 5-23). Notice that the low bracket is at –4.0 EV and

the correct shutter speed is 1/1000 second. This is where you set the



camera for the first shot. Afterward, each bracket is incremented

by +2.0 EV (shutter speeds are also shown) until the high point is

also photographed.

In this case, it’s nice — although not always the case — that the low

and high points are at +/–4.0 EV, respectively, and that there is an even

+/–2.0 EV difference that connects them.

In situations where the figures aren’t as evenly spread, start at 0.0 EV

and measure outward in both directions the number of EV you need to

shoot to include the high and low values. It’s okay to go past them —

but you don’t want to come up short.

What you do next depends on whether you’re using AEB or manual mode.

AEBIf you’re using AEB, set the center exposure (0.0 EV) on your camera and

configure AEB settings (if possible) to include the number of shots and EV

difference.

Make sure to account for the entire dynamic range of the scene. In other

words, if you need a spread of 6.0 EV evenly centered on 0.0 EV (+/–3.0 EV),

you can shoot six brackets at +/–1.0 EV to cover the scene. If the spread is

7.0 EV (+/–3.5 EV from 0), you can shoot nine brackets at +/–1.0 EV or five

brackets at +/–2.0 EV. These examples cover the entire range. If your camera

is limited by the number of brackets or the exposure distance between them,

you can settle for the best it can do, or revert to manual mode.

If your AEB has the capability and you have set the number of brackets and

EV range, complete bracketing as you would normally using AEB. You can

stop here.

Manual modeIf you’re using manual mode, complete the following steps:

1. Set the shutter speed to the value indicated by your calculation for the

low end of the dynamic range you wish to capture.

Although you can shoot them in any order you wish, I find it convenient

to start at the underexposed end of the dynamic range and progress

upward.

Figure 5-24 illustrates the complete sequence, starting from low to high,

including the shutter speeds.



Figure 5-24: Moving from low meter reading to high via brackets.

2. Shoot the bracketed photo.

3. Increment the shutter speed to space the bracket by the EV distance

you desire: for example, 1.0 or 2.0 EV.

Generally, three ticks of shutter speed equals +/–1.0 EV. Change by six

ticks if you want to bracket by +/–2.0 EV.

4. Shoot another bracketed photo.

5. Plug and chug.

Continue incrementing shutter speed and taking bracketed photos until

you progress from the low end through the center exposure (0.0 EV) and

complete at the top end.

You finish with a complete, bracketed set of photos, as shown in Figure

5-25. This result is a five-bracket set at +/–2.0 EV for a total range of 8 EV.

Using this method, you know that you accounted for the entire dynamic

range of the scene.

-4.0 EV -2.0 EV

0.0 EV +2.0 EV -4.0 EV

Figure 5-25: This set consists of five exposures at +/–2.0 EV.



Alternate metering with your cameraYou can use your camera in place of an external light meter to perform the

previous procedure, but it is decidedly more cumbersome.

The catch is to meter before mounting your camera on the tripod and com-

posing the scene. After you do this, moving the camera at all (which is nec-

essary to perform the spot metering) destroys the composition. If you’re

shooting hand-held brackets, you can meter and bracket more fluidly.

To use your camera to meter highs and lows in the scene, try these general

steps and then bracket the scene as described earlier:

1. Set up your camera for manual bracketing.

2. Perform a quick composition before you mount your camera on the

tripod.

3. Switch your camera to spot metering mode.

4. Meter lows and highs.

5. Switch your camera to matrix or evaluative metering mode.

6. Take an average reading to set 0.0 EV.

7. Mount your camera on the tripod.

8. Dial in the final composition.

9. Determine EV range and shoot brackets.


6Shooting Single-Exposure HDR

In This Chapter▶ Breaking the rules with single-shot HDR

▶ Satisfying the minimum requirements

▶ Following a workflow

▶ Tone-Loc mapping

▶ Seeing the effectiveness of single-exposure HDR

Unfortunately, digital cameras aren’t magic wands. Strike that. It’s

probably better that they aren’t. Otherwise, you might be tempted

to turn people into flower pots and yell things like, “Expecto Patronum!” or

“Expelliarmus!” when you take your pictures.

Back to our story.

The technology simply doesn’t exist to enable you to

go out and shoot bracketed HDR in every possible

circumstance. When the conditions conspire against

you, single-exposure HDR is a viable way to wring

as much dynamic range from a single Raw photo

as possible, and then tone map it like traditional,

bracketed HDR. But, you have to be ready and

willing (and have a camera that supports the Raw

photo format). If you’re interested in HDR but don’t

want to go to the trouble of setting up a tripod and

shooting brackets, single-exposure HDR is a great

way to get into HDR, experiment with it, and learn how

to use the software.

This chapter shows you what single-exposure HDR (also

known as single-shot HDR, pseudo-HDR, or a tone mapped Raw

exposure) is all about, how to do it, and why.



Knowing When to Break the RulesUnless you plan on abandoning any pretense of shooting brackets, you need

to know when and why to shoot single exposures for HDR. This assures that

you choose the right tool for the job, given the gear you have and the circum-

stance you’re in.

When to shoot single exposures for HDR basically boils down to movement:

✓ You’re moving. If you’re moving around, you can’t always take brack-

eted photos. If you have a fast-enough camera and AEB, you might be

able to get off three shots without blurring or alignment problems. For

the most part, though, you won’t be able to.

This isn’t the same as standing still and taking hand-held, bracketed

HDR. You can get off good brackets in that case — if you have a high

frame rate (3 frames per second [fps] is adequate but 5 fps is very nice

to have) and use AEB.

You might think the solution to this is to always use a tripod or

monopod (easier to manage but not as stable). That might be true.

Sometimes, however, that’s impossible. This situation is illustrated in

Figure 6-1, where I am taking a photo from inside a train ride at our local

zoo. Although I’m reasonably stable (there’s a joke in there somewhere)

and I’m holding the camera steady, there is enough motion in this scene

to make bracketing pointless. No camera can take bracketed photos of

the scenery rushing past.

Figure 6-1: Riding the train to single-exposure HDR.


117 Chapter 6: Shooting Single-Exposure HDR

✓ The subject is moving (or

can’t be still). The other cir-

cumstance that will push you

out of your bracket-shooting

comfort zone is when your

subject is moving: say, when

you’re photographing people

or animals. You might be

standing still and have your

camera mounted on a sturdy

tripod, but if the subject is

moving, you won’t be able

to get off brackets without

enormous alignment

problems.

Figure 6-2 shows this situation

in action. I’m standing just

outside a paddock at a friend’s farm when this beautiful horse galloped

past, too fast to make brackets possible.

Figure 6-2: Galloping toward single-exposure HDR.

Terminology alert!HDR has a lot of terminology competing to use the same four words (exposure, bracket, Raw, and Rumpelstiltskin). It can be very confusing. For the purpose of this chapter, I distinguish between two types of single-exposure HDR, both created from one original Raw exposure (the photo). I use the terms single-exposure (Raw) and single-exposure (brackets).

When you see single-exposure (Raw), that indicates that the Raw photo from the camera is opened directly in the HDR application (such as Photomatix Pro) and tone mapped. No inter-vening steps are necessary. You don’t convert the Raw photo to TIFFs (bracketed or single), nor do you technically generate an HDR file. Photomatix Pro automatically generates a pseudo-HDR file for you to tone map when you

drop the Raw exposure into the interface or open it from the menu. As such, there are no options when you generate the pseudo-HDR file like when you use normal brackets.

Single-exposure (brackets) refers to the pro-cess where you take the original Raw photo from the camera and use your Raw editor to create brackets. I sometimes call them soft-ware brackets or pseudo-brackets to differen-tiate them from bracketed exposures captured at the scene. After you convert the Raw file into software-bracketed TIFFs or JPEGs, the process continues as if they were standard brackets. The HDR application won’t know the difference, but you might need to clarify the EV range between each image.



You might want to shoot single

exposures for HDR, though, in

these circumstances:

✓ Casual shooting: Maybe

you’re out for a walk with your

camera, exploring your neigh-

borhood. You didn’t take your

tripod with you, and you don’t

have a camera with AEB and a

fast frame rate (which makes

hand-held HDR effectively

impossible). Solution? Take

photos in Raw and process

them as single-exposure HDR.

I took the photo in Figure 6-3

as I walked around our local

Johnny Appleseed Festival. I

saw the photogenic gentleman

in question and asked to take

his picture. This is a perfect situation for casual photography and

single-exposure HDR.

✓ Bracketing problems: Say you did set your

camera to photograph brackets and suc-

cessfully completed the shoot, only to find

out in software that you have problems,

such as ghosting or something movement

related, as shown in Figure 6-4. This close

crop of a car moving away from the camera

while I shot the brackets created ghosting,

so the car appears in each bracket in a dif-

ferent position.

You can ignore these problems if you want

(although not always recommended — see

Chapter 15) and press ahead, or use single-

exposure HDR to process one bracket to use as an overlay and freeze

the situation. I cover this more fully in Chapter 10.

Satisfying the Minimum RequirementsThe requirements for single-exposure HDR are somewhat different than brack-

eted HDR. The least you need to have, in addition to other helpful suggestions,

comprises

Figure 6-4: Use single-exposure HDR techniques to correct ghosting problems.

Figure 6-3: Shooting for HDR on the fly.



✓ File format: You must shoot in Raw. It’s that simple. JPEGs need not

apply.

✓ Gear:

• Camera: The camera must support Raw, of course. Any camera will

do, but you’ll be most satisfied with a dSLR. Premium compacts

and super-zooms that support the Raw file format will work but

have much more noise, especially at higher ISOs. Not many (if any)

budget compact cameras support Raw.

• Tripod: You don’t need a tripod for single-exposure HDR unless

you’re a real stickler for stability and the conditions allow it. (You

can try a monopod if you want to steady your camera without the

hassle of a tripod. You’ll look like a sideline photographer at the

Super Bowl.)

✓ Software: Single-exposure HDR uses the same complement of software

that bracketed HDR uses. Depending on the workflow you choose (Raw

or brackets), you might need a Raw editor.

Work-flow, Flow, Flow Your BoatBy and large, single-exposure HDR follows the same workflow as bracketed HDR:

1. Configure your camera as described in Chapter 4, paying special attention

to the material that prepares you to shoot single-shot HDR.

The thing you’re after is the single best shot you can get. Pay attention

to the lighting conditions, subject, movement, and any artistic effect

(depth of field, motion blur, and so on) you’re after.

If you’re shooting in manual exposure mode, review the information on

exposure in Chapter 4, paying special attention to exposure control side

effects. If you use auto, a priority mode, or programmed auto mode, you

have fewer decisions to make.


For single-exposure HDR, this step can take anywhere from 1/4000

second to several minutes, depending on the scene and situation. With

most casual shots, you simply point and shoot — you have very little

time to compose the shot. For arranged shots, you can often position

your subject or take your time and analyze different angles. This is

where your composition skills shine.



3. Take the photos.

Even if you can’t bracket, you can still set your camera to shoot individ-

ual exposures at high speeds (continuous high-speed shooting). In fact,

I recommend taking several bursts of shots, if possible, so you’ll have a

range of single exposures to choose from.

4. Choose your single-exposure method in software.

Choose from two approaches when using single Raw exposures for HDR:

• Single-exposure (Raw): Throw the Raw photo into your HDR appli-

cation and create pseudo-HDR from a single source image. As

bizarre as it sounds, using a single image can work — and it pro-

duces excellent results much of the time. It’s not truly HDR, but it

has something to do with HDR.

Figure 6-5 shows a flowering tree in HDR. The Raw exposure was

dropped into Photomatix and processed directly as pseudo-HDR.

The colors are simply maahvelous.

Raw

HDR

Figure 6-5: HDR processed directly from the Raw file.



• Single-exposure (brackets): Process the single Raw exposure into

brackets by opening it up in a Raw editor and saving versions of

the file with different exposures. Three brackets at –2/0/+2 EV

is generally accepted as the best method. You might wish to

experiment with five brackets at –2/– 1/0/+1/2 EV or other

combinations.

You’re still working with a single Raw image, no matter how many

brackets you create. You can’t increase the dynamic range of squat

with single-exposure HDR. What you’re doing is trying to squeeze

all the dynamic range you can from the single image. For more

information on this process, please hop over to Chapter 7 and

then come back.

When finished, you’ll have two or more bracketed images that you

can treat the same as any other bracketed set. Load them into your

HDR application to generate the HDR image. Figure 6-6 shows the

collection of images surrounding this method. Start with an original

Raw photo, which you then transform into brackets (three, in this

case). The brackets form the source for the HDR image, which is

tone mapped and finalized.

5. Generate HDR.

If you’re using a single Raw exposure, you can drop it on Photomatix

Pro, which will automatically generate the pseudo-HDR image and

start the tone mapping process. (Photomatix Pro is the only HDR

application at this time that features pseudo-HDR from a single Raw

exposure.)

If you’re working with manually generated brackets, generate the HDR

image as you would normally. You don’t need to align the images or

worry about ghosting, so you can turn off those options (if available).

You might need to identify the relative EV difference between the

images. Please see Chapter 7 for a detailed walkthrough.

6. Tone map the single Raw exposure or brackets.

For detailed information on tone mapping, see Chapters 8 and 9.

Single-exposure HDR tone mapping advice is given in the following

sections.

As with HDR in general, it’s hard to predict whether an image will look

good, or how much you can push the settings to accentuate details and

drama.



Raw TIFF brackets

HDR

Figure 6-6: Raw photo into three brackets into a tone mapped HDR image.

Figure 6-7 shows a photo of my son Jacob being tone mapped in

Photomatix Pro. The settings produce a fairly realistic look.

7. Edit and publish the tone mapped image.

As with multi-exposure HDR, finish your project by editing it in your

favorite image editor. Single-exposure HDR tends to be noisier, but on

the other hand, you don’t have to worry about ghosting or movement.

You might need to perform tasks such as noise reduction, sharpening,

adjusting brightness and contrast, color, cropping, and publishing. For

more information on this step, see Chapters 10 and 11.



Figure 6-7: Tone mapping is where you determine the overall look of the image.

Tone Mapping Single ExposuresMore complete coverage on tone mapping is presented later in the book

(Chapters 8 and 9). However, to make this a more practical chapter, I

decided to jump the gun a bit and show a few examples of tone mapping

single exposures.

Technically, tone mapping single exposures (whether Raw or a Raw con-

verted to brackets) is identical to tone mapping bracketed exposures. The

difference is that you probably shot different subjects and scenes. For exam-

ple, bracketed HDR excels at shooting landscapes, cityscapes, objects, and

interiors. These are the more traditional HDR scenes. Single-exposure HDR

tends to involve shots of people, animals, action and other dynamic scenes,

and casual shots.

Shooting single-exposure HDR on the goThis example is another reason single-exposure HDR is so much fun and

accessible. My wife took this shot (Figure 6-8) of our oldest son, Ben. I’m the

family HDR expert who carries around bags of gear and a tripod. She likes



taking our smaller, lighter dSLR (a Sony Alpha 300) with the kit lens, and

shooting on the go. I have her use RAW+JPEG so that I have access to the

Raw exposures for HDR. It’s perfect.

In this case, the single Raw exposure was converted to three 16-bit TIFFs to

start. In Photomatix Pro, the default tone mapping settings (using the Details

Enhancer tab) were too “vanilla.” However, the settings I use as a starting

point for multi-exposure HDR (my baseline) were too harsh.

At times (especially when tone mapping people), expect to reduce the

Strength setting and increase the Micro-Smoothing setting. This keeps faces

from being too detailed and riddled with dark lines. (Although there are

cases where this is what you want, that’s not what I wanted my 7-year-old

to look like!) The result is a nice balance between color, clarity, and detail

in his face.

Before After

Figure 6-8: A portrait, realistically tone mapped.

The clouds, however, were another story. They were too dark and ruined

the effect. This is where you have to let yourself go a little bit and realize

your boss isn’t standing over your shoulder checking your work. I love HDR,

but when I run into its limits, I don’t lose any sleep over using what looks

best (and accomplishing that in an image editor after tone mapping is

completed). Unless you’re entering a contest with strict rules or are other-

wise in a situation where your methods are restricted, give yourself that

freedom, too.



I took the tone mapped image of Ben and used the un-HDR-ified Raw image

for the clouds. Then I blended them in Photoshop Elements to capture the

best of both worlds. For more information on this kind of blending, see

Chapter 10.

Increasing contrast and detailsFigure 6-9 illustrates an action shot that is impossible to bracket. This Monster

Truck Rally is one of those “not quite ready for prime time” photos that some-

how is still compelling. Nothing is really sharp, but the movement and colors

faithfully impart the impact of the scene. The rider just coming around the near

pylon is the least blurred, which draws your attention to him.

Those factors make realism less important in this scene as it otherwise might

be. My main goal was to bring out the small details in the scene — contrast

in the grass, the riders, and the quads. I took the single Raw exposure and

converted it into three software brackets. Then in Photomatix Pro, I set the

Strength to 100 and reduced the Smoothing setting to High. This accentuates

contrast and local details. I increased the Luminosity setting to +5.0 to bring

even more details out of the shadows. The final look was attained by a mod-

erate amount of noise reduction and saturation in Photoshop afterward.

Reducing noiseFigure 6-10 shows the controls of a fire engine. (I’m still using the pictures I

took on that casual trip out with the family!)

The reason I go on about what I was doing when I captured photos is to give

you ideas of where you can go to get interesting shots. You’ll exhaust the

flowers in your backyard in about 15 minutes. After that, you need to venture

out farther to find interesting subjects.

Before After

Figure 6-9: Single-shot action tone mapped and edited dramatically.



The tone mapping settings for Figure 6-10 aren’t all that remarkable. Strength is

100, and Color Saturation is at 80. Luminosity is 4.0, and Micro-smoothing is at

6.2. No extreme smoothing or other tricks were used. The point of this example

is to show you a representative sample of the noise levels you can see coming

from a single Raw exposure tone mapped in Photomatix. As you can see, noise

is definitely visible in this image. It appears more strongly in darker areas, but

is especially visible in even-toned areas of any brightness — clouds, blue sky,

glass, and other smooth materials. You catch a break if your subject has a lot

of texture. This hides noise. (Other than a slight levels adjustment to warm up

this image and cropping, this photo is unretouched, so you can see the noise

for what it is.)

Using a single Raw photo without converting to bracketsFigure 6-11 shows a close shot of a hawk at the zoo. It is a beautiful bird, and I

was standing no more than 5 feet from it when I took the photo. This example

illustrates using a single Raw photo without converting it to brackets in a

Raw editor. The Raw photo was simply dropped in Photomatix Pro and tone

mapped. I compared the differences, and the bird looked better using the

Raw photo. That is always the criteria I use — what looks better.

Close-up

Tone mapped

Figure 6-10: Single-exposure HDR can be noisier than bracketed HDR.



In this case, a realistic shot seemed the most appropriate. To achieve this

effect, Strength was kept very low (40 out of 100) and Micro-smoothing was

increased to 19.3. This kept the image looking realistic. Luminosity and

Microcontrast were both maximized (+10.0), which lightened the shadows and

increased local area contrast respectively. This basically balanced the light in

the photo. Normally, when you increase Luminosity and Microcontrast, you

get a more dramatic look. Lowering Strength was the key to keeping that from

happening.

AfterBefore

Figure 6-11: Animals make great single-exposure HDR subjects.

Comparing ResultsQuite frankly, the dodgiest aspect of HDR photography is the lack of con-

sistency regarding what method (of the many) to use to achieve the best

appearance in the final image. I can tell you what methods are technically

the best — those which preserve the greatest dynamic range in a scene and

make the least number of compromises along the way. However, following

the best technical methodology does not always translate into the best look-

ing image, which is what HDR and photography are about.

This section features a Mini Cooper. Three processing options are shown: a

developed Raw photo, tone mapping as a single-exposure (Raw), and tone

mapping as a single-exposure (brackets). The latter two use the same settings

in Photomatix Pro. None of the images have been spruced up in Photoshop.



Let the faceoff begin:

✓ A developed Raw photo: Figure 6-12 is the control image, processed as

a single Raw photo and exported as a TIFF. This is basically what you get

out of the camera in the form of a JPEG. The shot is rather bland, and

the lightness of the sky predominates. On the positive side, the details

look pretty good and there is not much noise. All in all, not a very good

look here. The photo needs work.

Figure 6-12: A standard Raw photo.

✓ Single-exposure (Raw): Figure 6-13 shows the results of the Raw exposure

bring dropped directly into Photomatix Pro and tone mapped. I purpose-

fully went for some drama because I thought the clouds and car looked

much better this way. Compared with the Raw photo, this has better light

balance between the subject (the Mini) and the background (the sky).

In fact, they reversed: The car is now lighter, and the sky as a whole is

darker. The metallic paint of the car stands out much better, too.

Despite what some might say about single-exposure (Raw) photos, this

is an acceptable image. In fact, more than that — it looks really good, as

long as you don’t mind it not being a photocopy of the original.

✓ Single-exposure (brackets): Figure 6-14 shows the result of tone mapping

a Raw exposure converted to three brackets (–2/0/+2 EV). (For more infor-

mation on converting a Raw exposure into brackets, see Chapter 7.) Like

the single-exposure (Raw) image, it was tone mapped in Photomatix Pro

with identical settings. This version might have a little less contrast, but

the car is improved. It looks green now, which is its true color.



Overall, this looks to be the best version of this image. It has better

color, good dynamics, light balance, texture, and details. This doesn’t

always translate to every picture under the sun, but there is nothing

inherently wrong with this method — it produces good results.

Figure 6-13: Tone mapped single-exposure (Raw).

Figure 6-14: Tone mapped single-exposure (brackets).



You can see that the difference between single-exposure (Raw) and single-

exposure (brackets) are often a matter of taste. I happen to like the latter

method on this image, but there are times when I prefer the former. The pur-

pose of this comparison is to disprove the point that either of these methods

is pointless. They’re not. They clearly add value to the original image.

The moral of this story is this: Do not discount single-exposure HDR from the

outset as being technologically inferior. It can and does produce images close

in quality to those created from multiple bracketed sets. It may not do so in

every instance, but that’s when you get to use your skills and judgment as a

photographer and artist to decide. Use all the tools at your disposal to create

the images that match your style the best.


Part IIIThe Soft(er)ware

Side of HDR


In this part . . .

HDR is as much about software as it is about taking photos, so this part immerses you in

the software process of generating and tone map-ping an HDR image, and then editing and publish-ing your fi nal image.

Chapter 7 starts the ball rolling by showing you how to turn your bracketed (or single exposure) photos into HDR images. This interim step is nec-essary and important, so don’t skip this chapter. Chapter 8 provides a ton of tone mapping refer-ence material so you understand what you’re doing when you tone map in Chapter 9, which is the other “most important chapter” in the book. I walk you through how to tone map your HDR images in Photomatix Pro. Aside from taking the photos, this is the heart of HDR.

Chapter 10 is another process and workfl ow chap-ter. You discover how layers can help you edit your images and how to manage them. You also get a large dose of an editing workfl ow, followed by helpful blending techniques. Chapter 11 fi n-ishes this part by showing you different ways to fi x problems in your images (ranging from too much noise, distractions, and distortion) and enhance the good parts (such as contrast, color, and highlights). I fi nish with a section on publish-ing your fi nal images.


7Generating HDR

In This Chapter▶ Understanding HDR images and files

▶ Converting Raw photo brackets for HDR

▶ Converting single Raw photos to brackets

▶ Generating HDR from your source images

You might think the whole point of HDR photography is to produce an HDR

image or file, right? Wrong. The point of HDR photography, outside of the

laboratory and other technical venues, is to create a usable (for the rest of us)

low dynamic range image that you can view and print with technology that is

generally available today. To get that image, most likely a JPEG or TIFF, you

need HDR images and sometimes files. (I explain the difference between images

and files in this chapter.) Time for a little “howdy-do.”

An HDR image’s claim to fame is that it’s nothing like a

normal photo or image file. Rather, it’s a specialized,

high dynamic range image created by analyzing

and merging pixel data from a bunch of differ-

ently exposed photographs. It works a little like

Goldilocks and the Three Bears. This one’s too hot.

This one’s too cold. This one’s juuust right.

Unless you’re applying for a job at Industrial Light

and Magic, you don’t need to know all the intricacies

and inner workings of HDR images and file types, the

complex algorithms that decide which pixel is better

than another, or what data types programmers use to

create HDR images and files. What you need to master —

which just happens to be the subject of this chapter — are the

tools and techniques to create HDR images and files for further use.

The Unbearable Lightness of HDRSometimes HDR terminology can be confusing. Everything is HDR this

and HDR that. Create, generate, save, shoot, publish, manipulate HDR.


134 Part III: The Soft(er)ware Side of HDR

Does this refer to photos, an open file, a saved file, the final product, or

something else?

Thankfully, it’s much simpler than that. Two components of HDR photogra-

phy are at the heart of the matter: HDR images and HDR files. These are the

things in HDR photography that put the H and the D in the R. Other activities

help create, manage, or transform them.

HDelightfullyR images and filesHDR images and files have the following general properties:

✓ HDR image: An HDR image is a high-bit–depth image (normally 32 bits

per channel) that contains color and brightness information across a very

wide dynamic range. When you generate HDR or load a saved HDR file in

an application, something like Figure 7-1 shows up onscreen. This is an

HDR image comprising bracketed photos. It doesn’t look very good in this

format, though, because the clouds are blown out and parts of the green-

ery are too dark. The data is in the file, but the image has more dynamic

range than the system on which it’s being displayed can handle.

An HDR image is an ephemeral thing: It exists to be transformed. You

can edit HDR images in most HDR software before you get to tone map-ping (mapping data with a large dynamic range into a smaller dynamic

range). Tone mapping is discussed in depth in Chapters 8 and 9. You

may be able to reduce the level of noise in the HDR image, rotate it,

examine properties (such as bit depth), look at the histogram, or crop it.

Figure 7-1: An HDR image onscreen before tone mapping.


135 Chapter 7: Generating HDR

✓ HDR file: An HDR file is an HDR image encoded and saved by HDR soft-

ware to retain the high dynamic range nature of the originally generated

data. HDR files use an internal scheme defined by the unique HDR file

format you choose, which is the subject of the next section.

Oddly enough, there is very little you can do with HDR images and files

besides view them with specialized software or turn them into something

else. The “something else,” for HDR photographers, is a low dynamic range

TIFF or JPEG that displays properly on monitors, plays well with Web brows-

ers and iPhones, and can be printed.

An HDR file is simply a stepping stone. It rests between the photographs you

take with your camera and the final file you proudly show everyone. You won’t

print it out, post it online, or even look at it very much on your monitor.

Choosing an HDR file formatWhen you create an HDR image, you’ll often be given the chance to save it as

an HDR file for later use. Whether you save it as an HDR file depends partly

on preference and partly on what you plan on doing. Normally, you’ll jump

right into tone mapping, save the final low dynamic range result, and never

miss not having an HDR file stored on your hard drive. In cases where you

might be testing a number of different settings on a single HDR image, how-

ever, saving an HDR file the first time through will save you time in the long

run because you won’t have to continually re-create it. You can load the HDR

file and work with new settings in a snap. Another scenario where using an

HDR file saves you time and trouble is if you want to share it with someone

and don’t want the hassle of tracking multiple photo files. Generate the HDR,

and then make that available for others to tone map.

If you decide to save an HDR file, you must choose a format from several

competing HDR file formats. Three, however, are very widespread and

deserve special attention — these are summarized in Table 7-1.

Table 7-1 Popular HDR File FormatsFormat Extension Bits per

PixelWhy to Use

Radiance RGBE

.hdr 32 Superlative dynamic range; sacrifices some color precision but results in smaller file size

OpenEXR .exr 48 High color precision at the expense of some dynamic range; can be compressed

Floating point TIFF/PSD

.tiff

.psd96 Very accurate with large dynamic range but

results in huge file sizes and wasted internal data space



In case you’re wondering, I generally use the Radiance format when I need to

save an HDR file because it preserves the greatest dynamic range without exces-

sive file bloating — and it’s the first file type in the Save as Type drop-down list

in Photmatix Pro. (For more information about Radiance RGBE and OpenEXR for-

mats, see www.radiance-online.org and www.openexr.com, respectively.)

Thankfully, HDR photography comes down to the photos. This isn’t a contest to

see who can create the HDR file with the greatest dynamic range or a strict com-

parison of bits and precision. It’s about taking and presenting beautiful pictures.

Converting Raw PhotosOne of the great things about HDR photography is that you can tailor your work-

flow to the amount of effort and picture quality that are important to you. You

don’t have to shoot Raw photos if you don’t want to or your camera can’t. If you

shoot in Raw, you don’t have to convert those photos to another format (TIFF or

JPEG) before you generate the HDR image. If you wish to, however, you can con-

vert your Raw photos and save them in one of a few different formats.

Different approaches yield different results, of course. Consider these issues

when deciding whether to convert Raw photos:

✓ Quality: In general, you achieve the best quality by shooting Raw

photos and converting them to 16-bit TIFFs for use in HDR. Trailing this

“Qualitus Maximus” option is converting the Raw photos to 8-bit TIFFs,

then using camera JPEGs, followed by using the unconverted Raw files

themselves (the HDR software converts them automatically, leaving you

no control). Choose the quality you need and can afford, bearing in mind

that different software choices can produce different results.

Figure 7-2 illustrates two small sections of a tone mapped HDR image

created from different source image types. The original five bracketed

Raw photos are Nikon NEF files and have been processed through Nikon

Capture NX 2 to create the 8- and 16-bit TIFFs. The JPEGs were gener-

ated in-camera. Photomatix Pro was used to generate the HDR and tone

map the result.

JPEG — and sometimes Raw appearance — can be dramatically affected

by the processing options you choose in the camera.

Comparing two areas reveals different effects of the format in use:

• Clouds and sky: The TIFFs are relatively equal in quality, with

details and textures well preserved. You can see the nuances of

the cloud and sky in both TIFFs. The JPEG and Raw have lost detail

and take on a color cast by comparison.



• Words and sign: All four source image types show fairly good

quality for this man-made object. The JPEG is surprisingly good

although the colors are close to being oversaturated. Notice that

the image generated from the Raw photos is the softest.

✓ Workflow: If you’re shooting a tremendous number of photos for HDR,

or perhaps you’re shooting a large number of photos in general and

need to fit HDR into an existing workflow, using different processes for

different images can be an issue. For example, if you use Apple Aperture

and that’s where you spend all your conversion and editing time, using

something else can throw a wrench into things. Choose the workflow

that makes you want to create HDR, not throw it out the window.

✓ Cost: Cameras, gear, and most software cost money (see Chapters 2 and

3). If your supply of cash is limited, start where you can (the inexpensive

and free stuff) and move up to more expensive options when you can.

Don’t sweat it.

✓ Single Raw exposures: The same principles apply to converting single

Raw exposures.

Raw JPEG8-bitTIFF

16-bitTIFF

Figure 7-2: Comparing different conversions.

Principle principlesConverting Raw photos for HDR requires a different mindset than traditional

digital photo processing, which aims to create the best looking photo pos-

sible. Here are a few differences:



✓ Don’t mess with exposure. The point of bracketed photos is to have dif-

ferent exposures, so it’s best to leave this alone unless you’re converting

a single Raw photo to exposure brackets.

✓ Don’t rescue detail from highlights or shadows. HDR takes care of this

in tone mapping.

✓ Avoid dynamic range adjustments. Some Raw editors have dynamic

range adjustments that play with shadow and highlight detail, bringing

them together. This defeats the purpose of HDR.

✓ Be careful about making color and tone changes. If you must make

color and tone changes (for practical or artistic reasons), be consistent

unless you’re experimenting with color variations between brackets.

✓ Fix white balance if necessary. You can delay fixing the white balance,

but if you prefer, fix it now. White balance corrections compensate for

different lighting that can impart a colored tint to your photos or turn

what should be white to a shade of gray.

✓ Don’t over-sharpen. Sharpening bracketed photos is often an important

part of getting a good, sharp result in HDR. Don’t overdo it, though, or

artifacts will be magnified in HDR.

Be careful of making changes that make tone mapping harder and increase

the level of noise or artifacts in your images. Trust the HDR part of the pro-

cess to do what it’s supposed to do (enhance details, contrast, and control

exposure) while using the Raw editor’s strengths to convert Raw photos.

Converting bracketed photosIf you decide to convert bracketed Raw photos to TIFFs or JPEGs before gen-

erating the HDR image, follow these steps:

1. Open the bracketed source images in your Raw editor.

2. Make the necessary changes to the conversion settings.

Keep a light hand on the controls, as shown in Figure 7-3, which shows

several brackets of an old, abandoned dump truck. You’re not after the

Mona Lisa in this step. Remember the principle principles (see the pre-

ceding section).

Develop presets based on your favorite conversion settings to speed

things up. You might have a preset that performs a straight conver-

sion, another with more noise reduction, and another that sharpens the

image a bit. Choose the appropriate preset and apply.



Figure 7-3: Converting several Raw brackets with Adobe Camera Raw.

3. Save the result.

Saving converted Raw files as

16-bit TIFFs results in the high-

est quality but the largest file

size. 8-bit TIFFs are the next

best choice, with JPEG bring-

ing up the rear.

4. Repeat Steps 2 and 3 on the

rest of the bracketed photos.

Many Raw converters allow batch

processing. Figure 7-4 shows the

Batch Process dialog box from

Nikon Capture NX 2. Set up a con-

version preset, name it something

logical, and then run the batch rou-

tine on the bracketed Raw photos.

Make sure to save the results as 8-

or 16-bit TIFFs or JPEGs. This is a

great time-saver when you dump

300 pictures from a photo shoot

onto your computer!

Figure 7-4: Cooking a batch of Raw cookies in Capture NX 2.



Creating brackets from one Raw exposureYou can create brackets from a single Raw exposure by altering the exposure

value (EV) in your Raw editor and saving the results. Here’s how to perform

the procedure in Adobe Camera Raw:

1. Open the single Raw source image in Photoshop Elements or

Photoshop to launch Adobe Camera Raw.

Adobe Camera Raw can’t be launched as a separate process. It automati-

cally opens when you open or drop a Raw photo in Photoshop.

2. Make any necessary changes to the image.

You might want to carefully sharpen and tweak color temperature or

white balance. The restrictions here are less stringent than editing sepa-

rate brackets because this image serves as the master bracket.

3. Lower the exposure by –2.0 EV by adjusting the Exposure slider or

entering –2.0 in the Exposure text box.

The Exposure slider is on the Basic tab, as shown in Figure 7-5, whose

icon is a small, six-blade diaphragm (creating a lens aperture). Select the

tab if you can’t see the Exposure slider.

Figure 7-5: Saving the lower bracket from a single Raw photo.



This gives you the underexposed image,

as seen in the top image in Figure 7-6.

Notice the effect lowering the exposure

has on the highlights. In this case, the

sky and white shed have gone from close

to being washed out to nicely exposed.

You can experiment with lowering the

EV by smaller increments and creating

more files if you like, but you should

have a total range of at least +/–4.0 EV

across your brackets.

4. Save the lower bracket as a new file.

It helps to use a file naming convention.

For example, I prefer to keep the origi-

nal filename and append information

at the end, such as the bracket number

(DSC_1303-01.tif, DSC_1303-02.tif, DSC_1303-03.tif), add the Raw

application I used (DSC_1303-acr-01.tif), or specify a preset (DSC_1303-noisereduction-01.tif).

For the highest quality, choose 16-bit

TIFF. If space is a concern, choose 8-bit

TIFF. You can choose JPEG if you like,

but your HDR image may suffer from

noise problems as a result.

5. Raise the exposure back to 0.0 EV by

adjusting the Exposure slider or enter-

ing 0.0 in the Exposure text box.

This is your center, perfectly exposed

bracket. (See the middle image in

Figure 7-6.)

6. Save the middle bracket.

Choose the same format as the previ-

ous bracket. Remember to name this

bracket something different than the

first bracket. I simply increment my own

bracket number, as described in Step 4.

7. Raise the exposure to +2.0 EV by adjust-

ing the Exposure slider or entering +2.0

in the Exposure text box.

Third time’s the charm. This is the over-

exposed bracket. (See the bottom image

in Figure 7-6.) Notice that the other

-2.0 EV

0.0 EV

+2.0 EV

Figure 7-6: One Raw photo converted to three brackets.



settings are the same. That’s

pretty important.

8. Save the upper bracket.

Choose the same format as the

previous brackets. Name appro-

priately, using the convention

you’ve decided upon (see Step 4

for helpful guidance).

Figure 7-7 illustrates the finalized

HDR image that was created from

the three bracketed images in

Figure 7-6.

Creating HDRAs I discuss earlier in this chapter, an HDR image is different than the tone

mapped image. HDR images are generated first, and then tone mapped to

transform them into a relatively finished product. HDR images are created

from source photos, and tone mapping works on the HDR image.

The following sections explain how to create HDR images in the leading HDR

applications: Photomatix Pro and Photoshop. Remember that you can use

bracketed JPEGs, TIFFs, or Raw exposures as your source images for HDR. If

you’re using a single file, it has to be a Raw photo or 16-bit TIFF.

If you like how one application creates HDR images but can’t stand how it

tone maps them, create the HDR image in it, save it as an HDR file, and then

open it in a different HDR application (the one you prefer to tone map in).

You are free to be as creative as you want!

Photomatix ProPhotomatix Pro has a powerful yet straightforward process for generating HDR:

1. Launch Photomatix.

You can also invoke Photomatix Pro from within Lightroom or Aperture

if you have the export plug-ins installed.

Figure 7-7: The finalized HDR photo.



2. Select Generate HDR image

from the Workflow Shortcuts

dialog box.

Alternatively, choose Process➪Generate HDR. The Generate

HDR — Selecting Source Images

dialog box opens for you to

select bracketed images with.

3. Select the bracketed source

images.

Click the Browse button to

browse to the folder on your

system that contains the brack-

eted sources images you want

to use for HDR. Select them one at a time or together, and click Open to

add them to the Generate HDR dialog box (as shown in Figure 7-8).

4. Click OK to continue.

If Photomatix can decode

the exposure information

without your help, it displays

the Generate HDR – Options

dialog box, as described in

the next step.

If there isn’t EXIF information

(data in the photo file that

contains helpful information

like the time it was taken, the

exposure settings, and so

on) in the files, or perhaps

you saved brackets from the

same original Raw exposure,

Photomatix might ask you

to correct the EV spacing, as

shown in Figure 7-9. Notice

that you can select a range

from the drop-down list or

enter values yourself. Click OK

to finish correcting exposure

information.

Figure 7-8: Adding bracketed images to Photomatix Pro.

Figure 7-9: Correcting exposures.



5. Choose the HDR options

you wish from the Generate

HDR – Options dialog box.

The Generate HDR — Options

dialog box is shown in Figure

7-10. This has a lot of options,

but you’ll be clicking through

them in no time.

Select from the following

options that appear in the

dialog box:

• Align Source Images: Select this check box

if you’re concerned

with slight movement

of the camera. Choose

a method that fits the

type of problem you

may be having. The By Correcting Horizontal and Vertical Shifts

option is best used for small adjustments, and the By Matching

Features option works better for larger alignment problems, such

as hand-held bracketing. Select the Don’t Crop check box to keep

the images at their original size, regardless of shifting caused by

alignment. You might see rows of irregularly exposed pixels on the

border of your image if you deselect Don’t Crop. Cropping auto-

matically removes them.

• Reduce Chromatic Aberrations: Select this check box to reduce

red/cyan/blue/yellow fringing. This can be a problem when edge

contrast and saturation is high, especially when shooting toward

brighter lighting, like the sun.

• Reduce Noise: Select this check box to reduce noise in the com-

bined HDR image. Reducing noise at this stage can give you more

headroom when you tone map. Alternatively, if you have a good

noise-reduction routine in your graphics application, you might

wish to tackle it later.

You can leave the Reduce Chromatic Aberrations and Reduce

Noise check boxes deselected and apply them after the HDR image

is generated. This helps reduce needless processing until you

determine whether the options are needed after reviewing the HDR

image.

• Attempt to Reduce Ghosting Artifacts: Select this check box, and

then select either the Background Movement or Moving Objects/

Figure 7-10: Selecting options for generating the HDR.



People radio button. You may also choose a level for the detection

algorithm from the Detection drop-down list to make sure you’re

getting all movement erased.

• Take Tone Curve of Color Profile: This radio button is available

only if you’re using images that have a tone curve, such as JPEGs

or TIFFs. It isn’t active when you use Raw images (which are linear

and have no tone curve). If this option is available, select it to use

the tone curve of the color profile attached to the source images.

Alternatively, select the Attempt to Reverse-Engineer Tone Curve

Applied radio button.

The following options are only

visible if you are using Raw

photos to generate the HDR

image (see Figure 7-11 to see

how the dialog box changes):

• Select an option from the White Balance drop-down list if needed. As Shot is

the default and should

be adequate. The list

reveals common camera

options such as Daylight,

Cloudy, and Tungsten.

If there were white bal-

ance problems in the

original photos, you can

attempt to correct that

here or wait and correct

it during tone mapping or

even later. You may also

choose to return in the

process and convert the

Raw files to 16-bit TIFFs

and attempt to correct

the problem in your Raw

editor.

• Select a color profile from the Color Primaries HDR Based On drop-down list. You can choose sRGB, Adobe RGB, or ProPhoto RGB. sRGB is

much more widely used, although it is the smallest color space and

therefore not as true a representation of the actual colors than the

other spaces. Adobe RGB has a wider range of colors than sRGB and

is a popular color profile among photographers. ProPhoto RGB has

the widest array of colors and will clip the least but is less prevalent

and not as compatible across applications like Web browsers.

Figure 7-11: The Raw options in the Generate HDR – Options dialog box.



You can choose a high-quality color profile (Adobe RGB or

ProPhoto RGB) now without much concern for portability since

you will probably continue to edit the image, even after tone

mapping. If you won’t be doing any more editing before posting

on the Web (that is, saving directly from Photomatix Pro as a

JPEG), you should choose sRGB because it’s a more universal

profile.

6. When you’re happy with your selections, click OK (Windows) or the

Generate HDR button (Mac).

Photomatix Pro churns and chugs as it generates your HDR file. Dialog

boxes show you where it is in the process, depending on the options

you chose. When it’s finished, it displays the HDR file for you to save

(if you like), edit, and tone map.

7. (Optional) Save the HDR file for future use (choose File➪Save).

8. Select Radiance RGB from the File Format drop-down list, name your

file, and click Save.

PhotoshopPhotoshop creates HDR files, as you would expect, smoothly and profession-

ally. To generate HDR in Photoshop, follow these handy-dandy steps:

1. Launch Photoshop, and (optional) open the bracketed photos.

You have the option of opening your bracketed images now — the

ones that will be the source photos for creating HDR. You also have the

option later to automatically select all open images to merge into HDR

instead of navigating and selecting them yourself.

If you have more images open than you want to merge, select photos

that aren’t part of the same bracketed set, or some other irregular

combination, you’re presented

with an error message and

asked to reconsider. Then

Donald Trump will come in

and fire you.

2. Choose File➪Automate➪Merge to HDR.

The Merge to HDR dialog box

opens, as shown in Figure 7-12,

pretty as you please. Add

your source images using this

dialog box.Figure 7-12: Merging HDR traffic in Photoshop.



3. Choose source images as follows:

• If the images are open: Click the Add Open Files button.

• If the image aren’t open: Choose Files from the Use drop-down list,

and then click the Browse button. Navigate to the folder that con-

tains the bracketed photos and select them.

If you add a photo you don’t want, select it after it appears in the

Merge to HDR dialog box and then click the Remove button.

• To add all images from a folder: Choose Folder from the Use drop-

down list, and then click the Browse button. Navigate to the folder

you want and select it.

If you select Raw images in the Merge to HDR dialog box, Photoshop will

apply the ACR default settings to process them. If you select files con-

verted previously by ACR and saved as TIFFs or JPEGs, you might see a

warning about dynamic range. Click the Continue button.

4. (Optional) Select the Attempt to Automatically Align Source Images

check box.

This option helps align details in images and is especially helpful for

hand-held brackets. If you shot your images using a tripod, you might

not need to align source images. If you’re using brackets created from a

single Raw photo, this isn’t necessary because there can be no misalign-

ment of the same photo. If in doubt, try it with the check box deselected,

and look at the image at high magnification. If you see smeared details,

ghosting from static objects, or what looks like a double-exposure, come

back and select this check box.

5. Click OK to continue.

Photoshop launches into a

flurry of activity as it merges

the files into an HDR image. If

there is a question about the

exposure values of the images,

Photoshop displays the

Manually Set EV dialog box, as

shown in Figure 7-13. Enter the

correct camera parameters in

the Exposure Time, f-Stop, and

ISO text boxes, or select EV

and enter the value in the EV

text box (useful for brackets from a single Raw exposure, but rather than

relative EV differences, you take the provided absolute value and then

add and subtract from that). Then click OK.

When finished, the Merge to HDR dialog box reappears in a new form, as

shown in Figure 7-14. A large preview window and the bracketed images

appear on the left.

Figure 7-13: Correcting exposure in Photoshop the manly way.



Figure 7-14: Previewing HDR in Photoshop.

6. Select the images you want to remove from the preview from the left

side of the dialog box. Select them again to add them back.

This allows you to change the balance of the HDR file toward under- or

overexposure. You should be well served by trusting in your brackets,

but experiment if the fancy strikes you.

7. Click the +/– buttons at the bottom of the dialog box to zoom in and

out of the Merged Result image while you experiment with the source

images and white point.

8. To retain the most flexibility, choose 32 Bit/Channel from the Bit

Depth drop-down list.

This allows you to save the resulting HDR file should you desire. If you

set it to less (16 Bit/Channel or 8 Bit/Channel) and click OK, Photoshop

automatically starts the HDR conversion process (Photoshop’s termi-

nology for tone mapping) and reduces the bit depth of the image. If you

know what you want and don’t need to save the HDR file, selecting the

bit depth saves time.

9. Drag the Set White Point Preview slider left or right to alter the

image’s exposure.

This is not a permanent change. You have the chance to review and

finalize the image’s exposure during HDR conversion. This change

shows up in the Exposure slider of the Exposure and Gamma method of

the HDR Conversion dialog box.



10. (Optional) If desired, load a camera response curve from disk by

selecting the Load From File radio button and clicking the button.

You can also save the current camera response curve for use in later

HDR projects by clicking the Save Response Curve As button. If you

want to keep things absolutely consistent across a photo shoot, save the

a camera response curve for the first set of images, and then load it for

subsequent sets from the same shoot.

Camera response curves map the relationship between the amount of

light that hits the camera sensor and the digital value it stores in a given

pixel. Photoshop apparently takes images that you feed into the “HDR

machine” and constructs a response curve for each camera it identi-

fies. How often it does so and whether it updates every time is anyone’s

guess. If you attempt to load a response curve saved from one camera

to images generated from another, you receive a warning telling you

exactly what cameras you have been using and the fact that using one

for another might not be such a good idea.

11. Click OK to create the HDR file.

You’re done. The HDR image opens in Photoshop. There is no obvious

indication from the image itself that this is an HDR image and not an

ordinary photo. However, if you look at the image title bar, Photoshop

includes HDR in the name.

12. (Optional) Save the HDR image (choose File➪Save As).

Photoshop supports many different HDR file types, including the stan-

dard Radiance RGBE and OpenEXR formats. You may also choose from

any other 32-bits-per-channel format within Photoshop, such as TIFF

or PSD. If you choose PDS, though, you might not be able to open these

images in other HDR applications.

Photoshop Elements 8With the release of Photoshop Elements 8, Elements has joined the ranks of

HDR-aware applications. That’s the good news. The iffy news is that the HDR

feature is not that powerful — it’s basically exposure blending with a little tone

mapping thrown in. Nevertheless, you can do more in Elements 8 than in 7, and

anything that accepts bracketed exposures isn’t all that bad in my book.

Regardless of what mode you want to use, you start out the same way:

1. Open the bracketed images.

First you have to place the bracketed images in the Project Bin at

the bottom of the screen. Do this by opening them (I’m not using the

Elements Organizer). They can be Raw (in which case you’ll be pre-

sented with the Adobe Camera Raw interface), TIFF, or JPEG.



2. Select the images.

Select from 2–10 images in the Project Bin. Ctrl+click (Windows) or

Ô+click (Mac) to select non-adjacent images. Select the first, and then

Shift+click the last if they are adjacent in the bin, as shown in Figure 7-15.

3. Choose File➪New➪Photomerge Exposure.

This launches the HDR module and Photoshop Elements churns a bit

while it prepares things.

At this point, you’re ready to choose between pursuing Automatic and

Manual modes. You can switch back and forth between the two modes easily

by selecting the tab with the appropriate name. In addition, you can click the

Reset button to start over, the Done button to finish and apply the settings,

or the Cancel button to abort the process.

Figure 7-15: Selecting exposures from the Project Bin.


8Preparing to Tone Map

In This Chapter▶ Understanding tone mapping

▶ Discovering Photomatix Pro

▶ Exploring Details Enhancer in detail

▶ Reviewing Tone Compressor

▶ Understanding how tone mapping works in Photoshop

Everything else in HDR either leads up to or follows tone mapping (a truism

of the finest caliber). Or, to put it another way, tone mapping is where

HDR turns from promise to practice. All the photographs, brackets, metering,

converting, and trudging around with your camera and tripod have brought

you to the point where you’re ready to turn your HDR image right back

into a low dynamic range image. With HDR photography, how-

ever, you’re in charge. It’s a circle-of-life kind of thing.

And to be successful at tone mapping, you need to

speak the language. This chapter, therefore, contin-

ues that process. You’ll read about tone mapping

in general but also delve into specific tone map-

ping features found in two of the leading applica-

tions in the HDR community: Photomatix Pro and

Photoshop. With this information at hand, you’ll

be ready to tackle tone mapping in earnest with a

greater possibility of creating fantastic images.

Tone Mapping 101Tone mapping occurs when you convert a higher dynamic range

image to one with a lower dynamic range, most often a JPEG or TIFF. The

HDR image is, of course, created from bracketed photos with a wide range of

exposures.



One aspect of the tone mapping process is illustrated by Figure 8-1: namely,

squeezing dynamic range. This is important because monitors, printers,

and standard graphics files are incompatible with HDR images. The large

dynamic range of the HDR image (taken just outside a large building with

a very large portico) is mapped into the lower dynamic range during tone

mapping (which you perform after you create the HDR image in your HDR

application). Notice that the EV range of the HDR image ranges from below –6

to above +9 EV, which is well beyond the capabilities of an 8- or 16-bit image.

Tone mapping allows you to see something like the original dynamic range of

the image, using a less-capable format. Aside from all the technical mumbo

jumbo, without tone mapping, there is no point to HDR photography. This is

where you decide, based on the information available in the high bit-depth

HDR image, what the final low dynamic range image looks like. And that is the

point — creating a final image you can continue to edit, post on the Web, and

print to hang on your refrigerator.

When monitors, printers, and computers work with 32-bit HDR images — like

JPEGs — tone mapping might shrink in importance because there will be no

need to tone map an HDR image to a low dynamic range space — it’ll be com-

patible with everything as originally shot.

And that’s not all that happens when you tone map.

Given a bracketed set of images, if you examine two points and compare their

brightness (luminance), they have a distinct relationship with each other, as

shown in Figure 8-2. In this case, the spot on the building is darker than the

clouds. No matter what image of the bracketed set you look at, the two points

have the same relationship to each other in terms of luminance. Although the

contrast between them diminishes as either point gets blown out or lost in

shadow, the basic relationship stays the same. To reiterate, in this bracketed

set, a point in the shadowed area of the building is always darker than the

clouds, regardless of the bracket you look at.

Tone mapping breaks this relationship. As you tone map the HDR image, you

don’t have to keep the same brightness relationship between the two points.

You can alter and even reverse it so that the darker point becomes the

lighter point. In fact, this is exactly what happened. In the tone mapped file,

the same spot in shadow on the building is slightly lighter than the clouds!

This is why tone mapping is different than blending exposures and other

techniques that simply compress the larger dynamic range into a smaller

space. Tone mapping allows you to take the high dynamic range data and

change the brightness relationship between different points of the image.

This is where your photographer’s judgment and artistry come into play.


153 Chapter 8: Preparing to Tone Map

32-bit HDR image HDR histogram

HDR EV range

JPEG EV range

Tone mapped image histogramTone mapped image in progress

Figure 8-1: Tone mapping reduces EV range.



Tone Mapped

Brackets

0.0-1.0-2.0 +1.0 +2.0

Clouds

Building

Clouds

Building

Lighter

Darker

Lighter

Darker

Figure 8-2: Tone mapping alters tonal relationships.

Figure 8-3 shows the final tone mapped image. Irrespective of all the techni-

cal processes going on in the HDR application, I wanted to create an aestheti-

cally pleasing finished image, which meant fiddling with the tone mapping

settings in Photomatix Pro until I was satisfied. The wealth of exposure data

provided by the bracketed photos gives you the flexibility to accomplish the

same thing with your HDR images.

Figure 8-3: This image emphasizes the exposure data I chose through the process of tone mapping.



Getting Acquainted with Photomatix ProTo effectively use any HDR application, you must know what the controls do.

They are the interface between you, the mathematical algorithms that define

tone mapping, and the image. With this knowledge, you can consciously guide

the image where you want it to go. That beats randomly moving sliders any day.

Photomatix Pro is a nifty program. It’s very popu-

lar because it produces great images. Beyond

that, the controls make sense, are easy to use,

and the program is packaged nicely with a few

alternate modes (Exposure Fusion and the Tone

Compressor) besides the traditional tone map-

ping method, the Details Enhancer. Navigate to

www.hdrsoft.com to download the trial (Mac

and Windows). You can purchase it for around

$100, depending on the package you get. Figure

8-4 shows the shortcuts you can click to jump into

Photomatix Pro. This dialog box pops up automati-

cally when you open Photomatix, or you can bring

it up by choosing View➪Show Workflow Shortcuts.

Here’s a quick overview of the shortcuts shown:

✓ Generate HDR Image: I cover this in

Chapter 7.

✓ Tone Mapping: This option leads to two dif-

ferent tone mapping methods:

• Details Enhancer: This is the classic

HDR tone mapping method, which you

use for a distinctive HDR look (although

very realistic results are also possible).

• Tone Compressor: An alternative tone mapping method, Tone

Compressor produces generally more realistic results than Details

Enhancer and is somewhat simpler to use.

✓ Exposure Fusion: Blends light and dark areas from different exposures;

produces even more realistic results with less noise; is simpler and has

fewer steps than either tone mapping method.

✓ Batch Processing: Use to automatically process a bracketed set or mul-

tiple sets with the same settings; a magnificent time-saver.

✓ Batch Single Files: Use to automatically process saved HDR files and

single Raw images; another wonderful time-saver.

✓ Tutorial: The tutorial is a small Web presentation with a handful of

pages with basic information. It’s a handy guide to get started using

Photomatix Pro.

Figure 8-4: Workflow shortcuts in Photomatix Pro.



To get to Details Enhancer or Tone Compressor, start by clicking Tone

Mapping. This is the route you’ll use the most in HDR.

Exploring Details EnhancerDetails Enhancer is where you’ll spend most of your time in Photomatix Pro to

tone map your HDR images. As you can see from Figure 8-5, there are a number

of controls. Thankfully, they are well organized into functional areas. The three

floating windows in Figure 8-5 show the settings, image preview, and histogram.

The following sections cover the tone mapping settings available in Details

Enhancer.

Figure 8-5: Details Enhancer.

General controlsThe first section, as shown in Figure 8-6, contains the general controls, which

are accessible no matter what other section of the dialog box is expanded.



This section and the following sec-

tions have a number of what I call

“mini-max” images that show the set-

tings in the extreme. They are all the

same bracketed HDR image of a

Harley-Davidson motorcycle, tone

mapped to show the minimum and

maximum values of one setting at a

time. The other settings are at their

default. No attempt was made to

make the images look finished. The

goal is to show you what each setting

does by isolating its effect.

✓ Strength: This setting controls

contrast enhancement strength,

both local and global. Although

it’s not technically the strength

of the overall tone mapping

effect, it acts like it. The default

value is 70. For a more dramatic

effect, raise Strength toward

100. Conversely, to create a

more realistic effect, lower

strength to 50 or lower.

Quite often, lowering Strength

lightens an image, and raising it

darkens the image. Lower values

produce a more realistic effect.

High values, between 80 and 100,

look great and don’t have to look

unrealistic if other settings aren’t

underdone (primarily smoothing). More on smoothing in a bit.

Loupe-d loupePhotomatix has a tool that isn’t critical to the process of tone mapping, but is nonetheless cool. It’s called the Loupe, and it enlarges a square portion of your image so you can get a really good close-up look at what you’re doing.

Click where you want to magnify in the tone mapping preview window to open the Loupe and drag its marquee around in the preview window to move to different areas.

Figure 8-6: General controls with default settings.



Figure 8-7 illustrates the minimum (left) and maximum (right) settings.

Notice that the minimum value results in a more realistic, less-con-

trasted image, and the stronger setting really pumps up the drama (in

this case, at the cost of some haloing).

✓ Color Saturation: This setting controls color strength or intensity. The

default is, oddly enough, 46. Raise for more intense color; lower for more

subdued color. Reduce to 0 for a grayscale image.

Color that’s too intense can look garish (which looks great with a nice

meal — or is that garnish?) and raise the noise level of the image. Values

between 60 and 80 result in nice, strong color. If your colors are already

muted, bumping up to 100 can help make the colors appear more normal.

You might be tempted to use the Color Saturation control to create

a black-and-white image, but I wouldn’t recommend this approach

because you have no control over the black and white tonality. Chapter

13 shows other methods that give you more control over the process.

The strongly saturated image looks pretty good.

✓ Luminosity: Affects overall brightness by adjusting tonal compression of

the image. It helps to think of Luminosity, in part, as a shadow brightness

control. Raising it brightens shadows, and lowering it darkens shadows.

Contrast is also affected when you change the Luminosity setting.

Higher Luminosity values lower contrast, and lower values have the

effect of increasing contrast.

The default is 0. Raising Luminosity sometimes has the effect of bringing

out more details from clouds that are on the verge of blowing out.

✓ Microcontrast: Accentuates local contrast.

Higher settings amplify local contrast and also have the effect of darken-

ing the image. Lower values reduce local contrast and have the effect of

lightening the image. The default is 0. Higher settings can increase the

drama of the image.

Strength=0 Strength=100

Figure 8-7: Minimum and maximum Strength.



✓ Smoothing: Controls the level that contrast enhancements are

smoothed out. This setting plays the largest role in determining how

the tone mapped image looks, and is responsible for much of the debate

over style and aesthetics. Smoothing comes in two modes:

• Slider mode: Control smoothing with a free-ranging slider. Higher

values produce more smoothing while lower values result in less.

Pay attention to the light

balance across the image

as you consider different

strengths. The default is 0.

• Light mode: Select the Light

Mode check box to see

discrete buttons that con-

trol smoothing strength,

as shown in Figure 8-8.

Options are Min, Low, Mid,

High, and Max.

As shown in Figure 8-9, lower settings produce a much less realis-

tic image, complete with halos between areas of different contrast,

because they are not smoothed, or blended, together. Min and Max

produce more realistic results.

Each smoothing mode has its own unique algorithm. It helps to think of

slider mode as a fine-tuning range above Max in light mode. Generally,

all slider mode settings produce a smoother image than light mode.

Light Smoothing=Min Light Smoothing=Max

Figure 8-9: The range of Light Smoothing.

Tone settingsThe next section of the Details Enhancer dialog box contains the Tone set-

tings, as shown in Figure 8-10. If it isn’t visible, click the arrow beside the

name and it will expand. This section has basic tone controls.

Figure 8-8: Smoothing in light mode.



✓ White Point: Sets the white

point, or maximum luminos-

ity, of the tone mapped image

(think high end of dynamic

range). Higher settings produce

more contrast and a brighter

image. Lower settings do the

opposite. The default is 0.25%.

Pay attention to the image and

histogram as you make White

Point changes so you don’t

blow out highlights.

Figure 8-11 shows both ends of the spectrum. At 0%, White Point doesn’t

do much of anything. Notice the blown highlights at the maximum level.

✓ Black Point: Sets the black point, or minimum luminosity, of the tone

mapped image (think low end of dynamic range). Higher settings result

in a darker, more contrasted image. Lower settings do the opposite. The

default is 0%.

Pay attention to the image and histogram as you make Black Point

changes so you don’t lose details in shadows.

Like with White Point, 0% does nothing. Raising Black Point to its maxi-

mum level deepens the darker tones in the image.

✓ Gamma: Sets the mid-point of the tone mapped image. Higher settings

lighten the image and lower settings darken it. Each pixel isn’t lightened

or darkened by the same amount, however. You’re moving the bright-

ness mid-point around, which has the effect of squeezing or expanding

highlights or shadows into a smaller or larger space on the histogram. In

general, you shouldn’t have to mess with Gamma.

White Point=0% White Point=Max %

Figure 8-11: Low versus high white point.

Figure 8-10: Tone settings with default values loaded.



Color settingsThe next section contains Color set-

tings, as shown in Figure 8-12. Here

are the controls for the image’s color

temperature and saturation controls

for shadows and highlights.

✓ Temperature: The Temperature

control lets you change the color

temperature of the tone mapped

image. Moving the slider right

produces a reddish cast while

moving the slider to the left results in a blue feeling. The default is 0.

Figure 8-13 illustrates the visual result of moving the Temperature control

from its minimum to maximum.

If you work in Raw, consider correcting color temperature problems

when you convert the Raw files to TIFF for HDR. If you use JPEGs, you

can correct the problem here. If there are color cast problems in certain

areas of the image, wait until post-HDR processing, where you can apply

masks or otherwise selectively alter the image’s temperature.

✓ Saturation Highlights: The color strength within the highlights of the

tone mapped image. Raise to intensify the colors in brighter parts of the

image. Lower to reduce them. The default is 0.

I often use this control as a tool to investigate the tonal regions of the

image. Lower to minimum; then raise to maximum to see where the high-

lights are. You can also create different artistic effects.

✓ Saturation Shadows: The same as Saturation Highlights, except for the

darker areas of the image. The default is 0.

Experiment with the Saturation Highlights and Saturation Shadows con-

trols in relation to the overall Color Saturation control. For example, set-

ting Saturation Highlights to 100 and lowering the overall Color Saturation

to 0 results in colored highlights and the rest of the image in grayscale.

Temperature=-10.0 Temperature=+10.0

Figure 8-13: Going from brrski brr to rose-colored lenses.

Figure 8-12: The Color controls with default settings.



Miscellaneous settingsMiscellaneous settings, as shown in Figure 8-14, is the final section with tone

mapping settings. These are related to smoothing and clipping.

✓ Micro-smoothing: Smoothes

details in the tone mapped

image. The default value is 2.0.

As shown in Figure 8-15, higher

settings result in a lighter, more

realistic appearance and can

also reduce image noise. Lower

settings perform very little or

no smoothing.

✓ Highlights Smoothness:

Smoothes highlights, leaving the

darker parts of the image alone.

The default is 0. Higher values

tend to lighten the image. Use

Highlights Smoothness to blend

areas where highlights and shadows meet.

✓ Shadows Smoothness: Smoothes shadows, leaving the brighter parts of

the image alone. The default is 0. Higher values also darken the image.

Use Shadows Smoothness to blend the border where highlights and

shadows meet.

Neither Shadows Smoothness nor Highlights Smoothness controls are

panaceas, but they have a good effect if properly used.

✓ Shadows Clipping: Sets the dark point where shadows are clipped

(thrown away). The default is 0. Raising this control can help fight noise

in very dark areas by clipping them, which removes them from the tone

mapped image.

Figure 8-16 shows Shadows Clipping at 0 (the default) and at 100, which

shows you the effect very clearly.

Figure 8-14: Miscellaneous controls with defaults loaded.

What’s your color temperature?Color temperature is a strange thing. The color of the light a light source (say, a light bulb in your kitchen) emits reveals tem-perature (measured in degrees Kelvin). Hotter color temperatures are blue, and cooler color

temperatures are red. It gets tricky because we tend to assign values to blue and red that are the opposite. We say a warmer color is red and a cooler color is blue, which completely contra-dicts their actual temperature.



✓ 360 Image: If you’re shooting a 360-degree panorama, selecting this

check box ensures that the left and right borders of an image are tone

mapped in relation to each other, eliminating differences between the

two ends (which, in reality, are together) that result in an obvious seam.

MIcro-smoothing=0 Micro-smoothing=100

Figure 8-15: Micro-smoothing from 0 to 100.

Shadows Clipping=0 Shadows Clipping=100

Figure 8-16: Not clipping versus clipping shadows.

Examining Tone CompressorTone Compressor, as shown in Figure 8-17, is another way to tone map an

HDR image in Photomatix Pro. As the name suggests, dark and light tones

on the extremes of the histogram are compressed toward the middle. In this

case, the result is a very clean, realistic image of a lamppost over a river at

sunset. The blue sky is simply gorgeous.

The controls in Tone Compressor are much simpler than Details Enhancer:

✓ Brightness: ’Zactly what it says. Brightness. The default is 0. Raise it or

lower it to change the brightness of the image.

✓ Tonal Range Compression: Controls how much to squeeze the low and

high ends of the histogram toward the middle. The default is 0.



✓ Contrast Adaptation: This control works a little bit like Vibrancy or

Saturation. The default is 0. Raise it to make colors more intense; lower it

to mute them. Of course, you’re changing contrast at the same time. Higher

values appear less contrasted, and lower values have more contrast.

✓ And the rest (sung to the theme song of Gilligan’s Island): White

Point, Black Point, Color Temperature, and Color Saturation are the

same controls as found in the Details Enhancer method.

Figure 8-17: The Photomatix Pro Tone Compressor.



Exposure fusing in Photomatix ProPhotomatix Pro also has a nifty tool called Exposure Fusion (formerly known as Exposure Blending). Use it by selecting Exposure Fusion from the Workflow Shortcuts dialog box (as seen on TV and in Figure 8-4). It isn’t HDR, but it does use brackets to blend the photos of a bracketed set. The results are very realistic and have less noise than tone mapped images. Select brackets just like you would while tone mapping.

Here are the ways to fuse exposures in Photomatix Pro:

✓ Average: No options. See what it looks like. If you like it, great. If not, move on.

✓ Highlights & Shadows — Auto: Ditto.

✓ Highlights & Shadows — Adjust: You have more options to control the process here,

ranging from Accentuation, Blending Point, and Shadows, to Midtone.

✓ Highlights & Shadows – 2 images: Pick and choose two images from the bracketed set you want to fuse together. Aside from that, there are no options.

✓ Highlights & Shadows – Intensive: This is the most intensive Exposure Fusing method. Or mode. Or whatever. There are a few con-trols to play around with: Strength, Color Saturation, and Radius. This is also the most demanding process for your computer.

Just for kicks, try creating a multiple exposure look using Exposure Fusion. Choose two or more different source images with the same size in pixels and load them into Exposure Fusion. Experiment with different methods until you find the least objectionable!



Using PhotoshopTone mapping options are much more limited in Adobe Photoshop — and

I’m not talking Elements, where tone mapping options are nonexistent. I find

that in Photoshop CS3 and CS4, the aim is generally to present a much more

realistic result.

Creating an HDR image in Photoshop is covered in Chapter 7 and tone map-

ping steps are covered in Chapter 9.

With a 32 bit per channel HDR image loaded in Photoshop, you can find the

four tone mapping methods by choosing Image➪Mode➪8Bits/Channel or

16Bits/Channel. This opens the HDR Conversion dialog box (you see the dif-

ferent options in the following figures). The four methods are

✓ Exposure and Gamma: This is a fancy name for brightness (exposure)

and contrast (gamma). You are in control of the sliders and can choose

whatever values look good to you.

Figure 8-18 shows the Exposure and Gamma options in the HDR

Conversion dialog box that you can use to work on an HDR image. You

can see from the photo that this is a very realistic result. The histogram

indicates there are not very many highlights, however.

Figure 8-18: The Exposure and Gamma options.



✓ Highlight Compression: Similar to Tone Compressor in Photomatix Pro,

but Highlight Compression (so far as that’s its name) squeezes high-

lights in a 32-bit/channel HDR image down to where they don’t clip in a

16-bit or 8-bit/channel low dynamic range image. There are no controls

for this method. Choose it from the Method drop-down list to use it.

Figure 8-19 illustrates the HDR Conversion dialog box with the Highlight

Compression option selected, and the result on an HDR image. This

image would require a lot of work to make it look presentable — the tree

is far too dark.

✓ Equalize Histogram: This tool is also similar to the Tone Compressor

in Photomatix Pro. Equalize Histogram squeezes the entire dynamic

range of the HDR image into the low dynamic range image space while

trying to retain an appropriate contrast level. There are no controls for

this method. Choose it from the Method drop-down list (everyone say it

now) to use it.

Figure 8-20 shows the Equalize Histogram option selected and the effect.

Not bad, although in this case, it looks a little posterized.

Figure 8-19: Using Highlight Compression.



Figure 8-20: Equalizing the histogram.

✓ Local Adaptation: This is the squirrelly one, but it’s also the method that

can create more artistic results. The Local Adaptation is selected in Figure

8-21. The two controls are Radius and Threshold sliders (shown at their

default values), and you can use the histogram to apply a toning curve.

Notice that a tone curve has been applied to the histogram (click the

arrows by the Toning Curve and Histogram label if you don’t see this

area) to control the image’s overall brightness and contrast. Bring in the

end points of the histogram and alter contrast by changing the curve.

Although you can see it in every method, you can edit only when you

use the Local Adaptation method.

The point of Local Adaptation is to alter local contrast. The settings

operate like this:

• Radius: Radius acts like a local contrast control. Turning it up

emphasizes local contrast, and turning it down reduces local con-

trast. Use Radius to control the overall strength of the tone map-

ping effect.



Figure 8-22 shows the minimum and maximum values for Radius,

while Threshold stays at the default. To see where the difference is

largest, look at the leaves and the bright area on the wall. They are

much brighter when Radius is at maximum.

• Threshold: Threshold acts like a smoothing control. Increasing it

smoothes the effects of increased local contrast. Use Threshold to

smooth differences between light and dark areas.

Figure 8-23 illustrates minimum and maximum values for

Threshold. Radius is at the default value. Here, the difference

is dramatic. With Threshold at minimum, the image is very

smoothed — almost blurred. At maximum, there are obvious

halos that detract from the image.

Reduce the Radius and/or Threshold if you’re having problems

with halos.

Figure 8-21: Local Adaptation is where the fun is.



Radius Min

Radius Max

Figure 8-22: Radius at its minimum and maximum.



Threshold Min

Threshold Max

Figure 8-23: Threshold at its minimum and maximum.


9Tone Mapping for Fun and Profit

In This Chapter▶ Developing a tone mapping workflow

▶ Tone mapping with Photomatix

▶ Tone mapping with Photoshop

▶ Comparing different approaches

▶ Automated bracket processing

▶ Batch-processing single files

Earlier chapters lay a broad yet detailed foundation of knowledge about

high dynamic range digital photography strong enough for you to begin

tone mapping. This chapter takes you through the process of tone map-

ping using two of the leading HDR applications, Photomatix Pro

and Photoshop, using their respective Details Enhancer and

the HDR Conversion routines. I also show you how to use

Photoshop Elements 8 to tone map an HDR image.

Following that, you find tips and techniques on how

to get the best images out of Photomatix, and how to

batch-process brackets or single files automatically.

Tone Mapping with Photomatix ProIt’s time to get down to the practical matter of tone

mapping an HDR image in Photomatix Pro. If you need

additional clarification on the meaning of the settings,

see Chapter 7.

You don’t have to perfect an image in tone mapping. You can con-

tinue to edit in your graphics application.



Getting ready to tone mapBefore you can tone map, you must complete the photography and have

your bracketed (or single Raw) images ready. Here’s a checklist to make sure

everything is in order:

✓ Photos taken: Check. Have two or more bracketed photos ready, shot

as described in Chapters 4 and 5. Alternatively, you can use a single Raw

photo for single-exposure HDR.

✓ Raw images converted to TIFF, if desired: Roger. As covered in Chapter

7, you might wish to convert Raw photos to TIFFs to get the best quality.

Single Raw exposures can either be used directly for HDR (pseudo-HDR)

or converted to brackets in a Raw editor. Chapter 7 has more detailed

information on converting Raw images.

✓ HDR image generated: Affirmative. The low dynamic range source

images must be combined to create a single high dynamic range (HDR)

image, as shown in Chapter 7.

Looks like you’re ready to get started!

Getting started to tone mapIf your seat is in its upright and locked position, with tray table stored, you

can get started. Launch Photomatix Pro and generate HDR on the fly or load

a saved HDR image (see Chapter 7). If you need to brush up on what each set-

ting does, please consult Chapter 8.

Using presets every time you tone mapNo matter what HDR application you use, pre-sets are worth your time and trouble to use. In general, presets allow you to manage your tone mapping process by making it possible for you to create and use your own tone mapping styles, baselines, or starting points in the form of self-created presets. Load one or more presets that may apply to the image at hand and use the best one as a starting point to start tweaking.

Save a settings file or preset every time you tone map an image and file them so that you can find them if needed. I keep mine with the

unedited tone mapped file in a folder with the pre- and post-HDR working files for that brack-eted set.

Saving a preset for each tone mapped image that you have finished allows you to duplicate your work if you need to. Without a preset, should you want to go back and start over, you’re left guessing what settings you used to create an image. That is most definitely infuriat-ing, especially if you want to tweak around the edges instead of starting from scratch.


175 Chapter 9: Tone Mapping for Fun and Profit

With the HDR image ready and

onscreen in Photomatix Pro, com-

plete the following steps to tone

map it:

1. Invoke the tone mapping

process by clicking the Tone

Mapping button (see Figure 9-1)

or by choosing Process➪Tone

Mapping.

This launches the Details

Enhancer, as shown in Figure 9-2.

You can switch tabs between

the Details Enhancer and Tone

Compressor at any time.

2. Load baseline settings by

choosing a preset option from

the Presets drop-down list, or

by adjusting the settings in the

Details Enhancer by hand.

Each time you load an image

to tone map, reset the controls

manually (which takes time) or

with the help of a preset that

you created beforehand. The

purpose of this step is to create

a fairly neutral starting point for

all your photos.

If you choose the preset route,

select Default from the Presets

drop-down list (seen near the

bottom of the Details Enhancer

window). Or create a preset

of your own to load when you

need by selecting Save Settings

from the Presets menu (your

current settings are saved with

the filename of your choice). My

preferred settings deviate from the default in Strength, Color Saturation,

White Point, and Black Point. In each of these instances, I prefer higher

values to start with.

Figure 9-1: Starting to tone map.



Figure 9-2: The Details Enhancer.

3. Analyze the image.

Look at the effect your baseline settings have on the HDR image, as

shown in Figure 9-3. Sometimes what you see is good; sometimes bad,

and sometimes in between.

Don’t expect it to be perfect. The point is to use this as a starting point.

If you have other baselines for different conditions or artistic effects

(interiors, exteriors, strong, realistic, and so on), load them and see

what they look like. Sometimes you will be surprised.

Examine your reaction and use that as an indicator as to where the image

could be changed. Think in terms of these characteristics:

✓ Overall brightness: Is the image too bright, too dark, or just right? Use

the histogram to see a graph of where the pixels are distributed in the

image, from dark to light. Figure 9-4 illustrates an area of the image that

is very bright, and even needs to be toned down some.

✓ Light balance: Sometimes certain areas of the image are too dark or too

light. Compare adjacent areas that have different balances of brightness

and tone. Figure 9-5 shows three such areas. Pay attention to tonal dif-

ferences where they meet, such as between the floor and counter (high

contrast but uniform), the ceiling and decor (close in contrast), and the

upper floor structural area (smaller areas with differing contrasts).



Figure 9-3: Preview the baseline settings.

Come up with solutions rather

than simply observe. The coun-

ter should be more vibrant com-

pared with the floor; the mural

should have more contrast than

the wall; the lights in the upper

areas are too bright. These

things should be corrected.

✓ Image contrast: Does the image

look like a light gray overlay is

on top of it, as in Figure 9-6? If

so, there is not enough image

contrast. In this case, the floor

and stone table reveal that there

isn’t enough overall contrast in

the image.

✓ Details: Are the details visible

enough? Do they pop? Details can be accentuated or smoothed by

adjusting local contrast settings. Part of the mural is shown in Figure 9-7.

It looks bright enough, but there could be much better contrast.

Figure 9-4: Try to keep from blowing out areas.



Figure 9-5: Analyze different areas and decide what to do about them.

✓ Noise: What is the noise level? Is it accept-

able, or has it been accentuated? Figure 9-8

illustrates a good place to find noise: areas

of fairly consistent color and texture. It’s

easy to spot some noise here — nothing

drastic, but you might want to take care of

this later, after tone mapping.

✓ Color intensity: Does the image need more

color or less color? Is this need confined to

highlights, shadows, or the entire image?

Figure 9-9 shows another side of the mural

against one end of the main lobby. The

colors look nice and saturated, but enhanc-

ing contrast will show them off better.

✓ Temperature: Does the image have a blue or

reddish color cast to it? If so, this indicates

a color temperature problem. Figure 9-10

indicates pretty good temperature in this

image. The floor looks gray, the white panels

look white, and the black computer monitor

looks black.

Making and evaluating adjustments

As you tone map, take the controls and move

them one way or another. Go to the extremes so

you can see the full effect of the control. You’ll quickly see which ones do

what and whether you like the effect. Although you can make adjustments

in any order, I find approaching things in a regular, methodical way helps to

Figure 9-6: Image contrast is lacking.

Figure 9-7: Details need more pop.



achieve consistent results. You also avoid setting

different controls to have the opposite effect,

which makes it very hard to discern what’s hap-

pening while you tone map the image.

In the following sections, you’ll notice that some

controls are repeated. This is because effects are

often interdependent. After making an adjustment

in one area, go back and review other important

settings. Refer to Figure 9-3 to compare each

change with the baseline.

Throughout the course of adjusting each setting,

constantly evaluate the image. At any time, you

can choose elect Save Settings from the Presets

list and save the current tone mapping settings in

a file that can be stored and accessed later. Name

it something that makes sense so you can recall

what it is or why you saved it. You can also com-

pare the effect of the tone mapping settings to

the original image by selecting Show Original on

the Tone Mapping Preview window.

Adjust brightness and contrastTo adjust your image’s brightness and contrast,

you use the White Point, Black Point, Luminosity,

Gamma, and Strength settings. At this point,

you’re just getting the image into the ballpark

and making it possible for you to see where you

need to make other changes. Try to keep from

blowing out highlights. You’ll have plenty of time

to finalize brightness and contrast by the time

you’re done.

Control the overall lightness of the image by

raising or lowering the White Point, the Black

Point, or Luminosity. White Point and Black Point

have strong effects on brightness and contrast.

Luminosity acts as a shadow control — raising or

lowing the brightness in darker regions.

In the example I use in this chapter, the image is

sufficiently bright. The problem is a bit too much

brightness around the front door, in reflections

Figure 9-8: Noise is a common problem with HDR.

Figure 9-9: Colors add pop and zing if not overdone.

Figure 9-10: Check the image’s temperature.



off the floor, and the interior light-

ing. This is corrected by lowering the

White Point to bring the reflections

on the floor and other hot spots

under control, raising the Black Point

to restore contrast, and then raising

the Luminosity to lighten the image.

There is a definite balancing act as

you change settings. The amount

you choose to change settings has

a tremendous impact on the overall

appearance of the image. You may

push things very hard for an artistic

look or nudge things very carefully for

a more realistic effect. It’s your call!

Use Gamma as a last resort to con-

trol lightness. Raising Gamma tends

to reduce contrast too much, result-

ing in a washed-out look. Lowering

it darkens the image and raises con-

trast. Strength also affects contrast.

If needed, return to Strength and

readjust.

Fix the light balance and the overall effectTo adjust the light balance and

overall effect in your image, use the

Strength and Smoothing settings.

If your baseline settings have been

dialed in to the point that you’re

happy with how your image looks,

you might not have to make any sig-

nificant adjustments to the Strength

and Smoothing settings. If that is the

case, tweak around the edges to see

whether you can improve each particular image. For images that don’t look

right, it will be obvious. In these situations, adjust Smoothing first, and then

take care of the Strength.

–10.0

0.0

+10.0

Figure 9-11: Smoothing plays a major role in light balance.



You can easily get carried away with the “HDR effect” and make poor smooth-

ing choices (mostly not enough). Alternate between using the Smoothing

slider and selecting the Light Mode check box to compare the results you get

from each mode.

Figure 9-11 shows three smoothing strengths: –10.0, 0.0, and +10.0. Each has

a different effect on the light balance of the image. Look carefully at the floor

versus the low stone walls on the sides. Different settings put them in differ-

ent balance with each other.

From minimum to maximum, the balance is reversed. With Smoothing set

to –10.0, the floor is dark, and the walls are light. As Smoothing increases,

they come into a more even balance. By the time Smoothing is at +10.0, they

have switched. The floor is light, and the walls are dark. As an aesthetic deci-

sion, I choose bright stone walls to emphasize their detail and a darker floor.

Adjust and enhance the colorTo adjust and enhance the color in your image, you use the Color Saturation,

Saturation Highlights, Saturation Shadows, and

Temperature settings.

Make color adjustments to suit your taste. You

might not need to alter these controls if your

baseline settings can be suitably applied to most

images. If necessary, start color adjustments

with Color Saturation to control the overall inten-

sity of the image. Use Saturation Highlights and

Saturation Shadows for special effects or to solve

problems in those particular tonal regions.

Figure 9-12 is, in fact, a rejected alternative. Even

if you trust your baseline settings, fiddle with

them to make sure they look good. In this case,

Color Saturation is lowered to 60 (from 80) to see

whether the image would look better without as

much color intensity. These are the subjective

decisions you make while you tone map. I prefer

the stronger colors for this image, which can be

seen better in the small crop of a colorful area of

the wall.

Think detailsTo tweak the details in your image, you use the

Microcontrast and Luminosity settings.

60

80

Figure 9-12: Always explore alternative settings — this time, decreased saturation.



Microcontrast is the go-to control for local contrast because it accentuates

details. You’ll find that Luminosity sometimes needs readjusted after making

a strong Microcontrast change. Adjust both until you find the right balance.

A strong surge in Microcontrast has the effect of heightening the drama and

intensity of an image. If it gets too dark, raise Luminosity to compensate.

If necessary, return to White Point or Black Point (which was lowered) to

adjust those settings.

Smoothness changes (covered in the next section) reduce local contrast and

smooth over details. Consider how you approach the image to avoid setting

controls contrary to one another.

Control smoothnessTo control the smoothness in your photos, you use the Micro-smoothing,

Highlights Smoothness, Shadows Smoothness, and Shadows Clipping set-

tings. You might need to increase smoothness to combat noise or to lower

local contrast and smooth out details. Micro-smoothing works globally, and

Highlights Smoothness and Shadows Smoothness affects only those tonal

areas. Smoothing also has an effect on how smoothly light and dark areas

transition to each other.

Smoothing is great, but pay attention to contrast. Small amounts of smooth-

ing go a long way. By increasing the Smoothing level, you can raise the real-

ism, smooth out some noise, smooth out the light a little, and moderate the

contrast of the image. As a whole, Smoothing helps cement things together.

Shadows Clipping can often be ignored, but if you have problems with noise

in dark areas, raising it can clip it from the image. This setting also has an

effect on contrast.

Finishing upWhen you’re happy with the results, it’s time to process and save:

1. Click the Process button in the Details Enhancer.

This applies the tone mapping settings to the HDR image and creates a

low dynamic range image for you to save.

You’ll see a progress dialog box. If you’re like me, you love watching

progress bars.

2. Choose File➪Save As.

This calls up the Save As (Windows)/Save (Mac) dialog box. The things

you want to note are Save As Type (Windows)/File Format (Mac), and the

Open Saved Image(s) With check box, as explained in the following list:



• File Name (Windows)/Save As (Mac): A name is generated for you

based on the original images in the bracket or HDR filename with

_tonemapped appended. Change as desired.

• Save As Type (Windows)/File Format (Mac): Choose 16-bit TIFF for

the highest quality (and largest file size), 8-bit TIFF for high quality,

and JPEG for the lowest quality (and smallest size).

If you’re a quality junkie, don’t choose anything but 16-bit TIFF.

In reality, the difference between 16-bit and 8-bit TIFF is not that

apparent. 8-bit TIFF is a reasonable compromise and will work in

image editors that balk at 16-bit images. Choose JPEG only if you

don’t want to perform further editing.

JPEG is also a great format with which to compare the effects of

different tone mapping settings on the same HDR image. Process

them separately and save each as a JPEG. This makes the files

smaller; they also load much faster if you want to switch back and

forth to compare.

• Save Tone Mapping Settings (Windows only): Leave this check box

selected. You’ll have a permanent record of what settings you

applied with each tone mapped image. You can recall it and use on

other images or, if needed, reprocess the current HDR image and

make small changes. The tone mapping settings are saved in an

XMP file.

The settings files are a form of XML, which have setting names and

values as text. They can be read by a text editor or Web browser, if

you’re curious.

• Open Saved Image With (Mac): Select this check box, and after the

image is saved, it will automatically open in the chosen application

for further editing.

3. Close the image, and if desired, close Photomatix Pro.

The tone mapped image is now ready to be edited further (see Chapters

10 and 11) and published.

Tone Mapping in PhotoshopTone mapping in Photoshop is much more streamlined than in an application

like Photomatix Pro, essentially because you have so few options. Your main

decision is to choose one of the four tone mapping methods, two of which

don’t have any settings.



To tone map an HDR image in Photoshop, follow these steps:

1. Have your HDR image ready.

You can load a previously saved HDR image or continue directly from

creating the HDR image.

2. If necessary, perform adjustments on the HDR image.

Photoshop allows you to perform limited adjustments on 32-bit HDR

images. Be careful! What you see onscreen is not a completely accurate

representation of the actual image unless you have a 32-bit-per-channel

HDR monitor.

3. If you’re feeling adventurous, choose Image➪Duplicate.

This sets up more than one copy of the HDR image so you can experi-

ment and apply a different conversion setting per duplicate image. You

can switch back and forth between images to compare the effects of dif-

ferent methods and settings.

4. Choose Image➪Mode➪8 Bits/Channel or Image➪Mode➪16 Bits/

Channel to lower the bit depth.

This opens the HDR Conversion dialog box, where you select the tone

mapping method you want to use.

Alternatively, you can jump from the Merge to HDR dialog box directly

to the HDR Conversion dialog box if you select a lower bit depth than

32 bits-per-channel when merging to HDR.

5. Choose a tone mapping method from the Method drop-down list and

then experiment.

Alter settings, switch methods to compare results, and experiment to

decide the appropriate method and settings for your image. I discuss

these settings in more detail in the following sections.

You may also load settings from previous sessions (provided that you

saved them). If you’re working on several HDR images of the same sub-

ject (say, an interior), create a master setting to save, and then apply to

the additional HDR images of the same scene.

6. Process the image by clicking OK to apply the tone mapping settings.

7. Save the low dynamic range result by choosing File➪Save.

You can continue to edit this file (reducing noise and such). Make sure

to save your final results.

Exposure and GammaChoose Exposure and Gamma from the Method drop-down list in the HDR

Conversion dialog box.



The key with adjusting the Exposure and Gamma sliders is to lower the

Exposure setting so you don’t have any blown highlights, and then adjust

the Gamma setting to get at the right lightness (which can affect contrast). It

might not look like a good photo at this point — you’ll have to rely on more

editing after tone mapping.

In this image (see Figure 9-13), the clouds were on the verge of blowing out until

the Exposure was reduced. It wasn’t necessary to change the Gamma. Contrast

can be enhanced later in editing through Levels or Curves adjustments.

Figure 9-13: Use Exposure and Gamma to protect highlights.

Highlight CompressionChoose Highlight Compression from the Method drop-down list in the HDR

Conversion dialog box. Figure 9-14 shows the selection in the dialog box and

the effect on the image. In this case, Highlight Compression does a good job

of saving the clouds.



Figure 9-14: Use Highlight Compression to squeeze the highlights to fit.

Equalize HistogramChoose Equalize Histogram from the Method drop-down list in the HDR

Conversion dialog box. Figure 9-15 shows the result of equalizing the histo-

gram. In this case, contrast is enhanced, but details are lost in dark areas of

the building and in the clouds.

Local AdaptationChoose Local Adaptation from the Method drop-down list in the HDR

Conversion dialog box. Working with the Local Adaptation settings allows

you to control the two sliders (Radius and Threshold) as well as alter the his-

togram. Begin by working on the histogram.



Figure 9-15: Equalizing the histogram squeezes the dynamic range of the image to fit.

When you hover your mouse over the image, as

shown in Figure 9-16, the cursor becomes the Eye

Dropper tool. Click to see the tone under the Eye

Dropper appear on the histogram as a hollow dia-

mond. This lets you sample specific tonal regions

and gauge whether to change the histogram for

that area.

With that out of the way, see whether a combi-

nation of changing the Radius and Threshold

settings from the default improves the image.

In Figure 9-17, the Radius was increased to

emphasize local contrast and the Threshold was

decreased to avoid smoothing it over. The result

is a bit sharper than the original with good

contrast. Eye Dropper

Figure 9-16: Use the Eye Dropper to examine specific tones on the histogram.



Figure 9-17: Adjusting the Radius and Threshold results in better contrast and sharpness.

An Approach to Comparing ApproachesIndividual images often look great. It’s when you compare two differently

tone mapped versions of the same HDR image, however, that you see flaws

you missed or something you like better in one but not the other.

Always save the original HDR image. This way, you can load it into your HDR

application each time you want to tone map it. This saves you from having to

generate it each time.

To compare different approaches to tone mapping an image, follow this gen-

eral process:

1. When you reach a point in tone mapping where you like the result, pro-

cess the image and save the result. Make sure to save the settings as

well so you have a record of it.

2. Save the image as a JPEG. No need to get fancy here. You want some-

thing that loads quickly in a preview program, which improves your

ability to discern nuanced differences as you flip back and forth.



3. Open the original HDR image

and make a change to one

setting — something you want

to see if you can make better.

Make single changes at a time.

Try changing just the Strength,

Color Saturation, Smoothing,

Luminosity, or Microcontrast

setting. It’s harder to gauge the

effects of changing multiple

settings at once because you

don’t know which one might

have helped and which one

didn’t.

4. Save the second image. You

can work up a third image with

still another change to the

same setting and have three

options to choose from (Baby

Bear, Mama Bear, and Papa

Bear).

5. Open the images in your

editor/organizer (Microsoft

Picture and Fax Viewer in

Windows/Preview on Mac work

best because you can scroll

through the images one after

another) and look at your ver-

sions several times.

Figure 9-18 illustrates three

versions of an image tone

mapped with different Strength

settings. One is at 50, another

at 75, and the last is at 100.

What you’re looking for are

subtle (and not so subtle) dif-

ferences in how you react to

each image. All three in this

case look good. That isn’t the issue. You’re after which one you like

best. Pay special attention to how the tone migrates from the outside

toward the center of the photo as the Strength increases. With a setting

of 50, the basketball court is fairly light, and the bleachers are dark. At a

Strength=50

Strength=75

Strength=100

Figure 9-18: Comparing different Strength settings to find the best image.



Strength of 100, the court has darkened and the seats have lightened. In

a completely subjective decision, I prefer the latter.

6. Decide on the best one and use that as the basis to move forward. Open

the HDR image in Photomatix Pro, load the settings you just approved,

and then make another change.

7. Continue until you’re satisfied. When the process is over, you’ll know for

certain which settings you like best.

8. Save the final version as a 16-bit TIFF for the best quality and continue

editing.

Batch-Processing Multiple FilesBe on the lookout for an HDR application that can perform batch processing,

like Photomatix Pro. (See Chapter 3 for more information on other software

packages.)

Batch processing is a real time and energy saver if you need to process

several bracketed sets from the same photo shoot. This is paramount for

processing panoramas. Aside from that circumstance, there’s no reason to

develop different settings for each set of brackets unless you have an over-

riding need to treat a particular set differently (perhaps one angle produced

a different color cast or the clouds moved out of the way and the scene got

much brighter).

Photos shot in basically the same light at the same location might vary only

a bit in composition and minor orientation. Using the same tone mapping

settings makes sense because the same conditions produce the same basic

image elements of lightness, contrast, and detail. Common tone mapping set-

tings also ensure consistency within the same photo shoot. This is especially

helpful for interiors where you take different shots in the same room. The

room hasn’t changed. The lighting hasn’t changed. The brackets are probably

all shot at the same or very similar exposure settings.

The following steps illustrate how batch-processing multiple files works in

Photomatix Pro:

1. Launch Photomatix Pro.

2. Generate the HDR image; choose Process➪Generate HDR.

Generate an HDR image from a good set of brackets that are representa-

tive of the photo shoot.

3. Develop the tone mapping settings to your liking.

See the earlier section, “Tone Mapping with Photomatix Pro,” for details.



4. Save the settings and close the tone mapped image.

I like to process the image and save it as a concept or prototype file in

either JPEG or 8-bit TIFF format. I can then open the image in an editor

and check to see its potential or problems (color cast, noise, and so on).

I don’t spend a lot of time developing it because I’m just trying to get a

sense of where the image is going.

You may forgo this step and simply save the settings in Photomatix,

which doesn’t require processing the tone mapped image.

The important part is finalizing the tone mapping settings and saving the

settings file for use in batch processing.

5. Click the Batch Processing button from the Workflow Shortcuts

window, which appears when you launch Photomatix Pro.

The Batch Processing of Differently Exposed Images dialog box appears

(see Figure 9-19), which has a number of options for you to choose from.

Notice that it’s a pretty blank slate to work from the first time you run it.

Figure 9-19: Preparing to set up a batch session.

6. Select the Generate HDR Image check box to work with HDR (the

other options allow you to fuse and blend exposures), click the

Settings button beside the check box to access the HDR options, and

then click OK.

See Chapter 7 for more details on the HDR settings options.



Clicking the Settings button

opens another dialog box, as

shown in Figure 9-20. There are

a few differences in this dialog

box compared with the rout-

ing to generate HDR. You can

select the Force Exposure Value

Spacing To check box and enter

an amount, which can ensure

the computer doesn’t make a

mistake. You can also select the

Process Strip by Strip check box

if you want to avoid memory

problems.

7. Choose tone mapping options

and settings as described ear-

lier in this chapter, and then

click OK.

Check the Details Enhancer

and/or Tone Compressor. In

this case, the Details Enhancer

is being used, and the settings

are entered in the dialog box

shown in Figure 9-21. You may enter the settings manually (as here)

or load the settings file of the sample HDR image you tone mapped in

Step 4.

8. Back in the Batch Processing of Differently Exposed Images dialog

box, select the image-selection criteria by entering the number of

images in the Select Images at a Time text box.

You can identify the number of images to select for each bracketed

set, or select the Advanced radio button, which lets you apply more

advanced rules for selecting the images.

It helps to have the same number of brackets in each bracketed step and

have them be in the same folder on your hard drive (or each set in its

own folder in a collective container folder). If you have three images in

some sets and five images in others, select Advanced. In the dialog box

that appears (as shown in Figure 9-22), select either the Automatically

Detect Number of Bracketed Frames or the Select Only Part of the

Frames in the Bracketed Set radio button.

9. Select the desired alignment and cropping options.

Figure 9-20: Selecting HDR settings.



Select the Align Images check

box to align your images, or

leave it deselected if you don’t

want Photomatix to align them.

Select the Don’t Crop check

box to preserve your images.

Choose whether to save the

aligned output. These options

are similar to the standard

options you encounter when

generat ing HDR.

10. Choose the source images by

selecting the Folder or the

Individual Files radio button;

click the Select Source Folder

or Select Source Files button

to browse to the desired

folder on your hard drive.

You can select a folder or

individual files. After you have

files selected, you can remove

files and filter them by select-

ing the files in the preview

box and clicking the Remove

File button or selecting an

option from the Filter By drop-

down list, which allows you to

select certain types (such as

JPEG). You may also select the

Process Subfolders check box,

which helps if your brackets

are stored in their own folders

within a container folder.

11. Select the Created under Source Folder radio button to save your

batch-processed files in the source folder; or select the Customized

Location radio button and then click the Choose button to specify a

different destination for the files.

12. Select the file format to save from the Save As drop-down list, adjust

the JPEG Quality setting if desired, and choose an option for HDR

image format from the Save 32-Bit HDR Image As drop-down list.

If you’re saving the 32-bit HDR image, select the Remove 32-Bit HDR

Image After Tone Mapping check box if you want to delete the HDR

image after tone mapping.

Figure 9-21: Entering tone mapping settings.



13. (Optional) Click the Naming

Options button to select your

own naming options for the

processed files, as shown in

Figure 9-23.

Notice that you have a few

options to start with and that

you can append a word or

phrase to the end. Starting with

the processed set is a good

choice if you want the results

organized by set number,

while selecting the Start with

Filename of First Image in the

Set radio button is good if you

want to organize by the image

file names.

14. Finally, click the Run button.

This starts the process. You

see interim progress reports

show up in the dialog box as

Photomatix Pro works its way

through all the images. When

it’s done, you’re notified. Close

the dialog box.

Batch-Processing Single Files

It’s an added bonus if your HDR

application performs batch pro-

cessing on single files, as does

Photomatix Pro. You might think the

whole concept stinks of oxymoronic

malfeasance, but it makes sense when you face north, close your left eye,

and hum “Happy Birthday.” You’ll realize that single files (an oxymoron in

and of itself) refers to a collection of single Raw images converted to pseudo-

HDR or a collection of HDR images (not the brackets). In other words, say

you have several single-exposure Raw images that you want processed with

the same tone mapping settings. You can’t use normal batch processing

because that requires multiple bracketed exposures. You have to batch-

process single files.

Figure 9-23: Selecting naming options.

Figure 9-22: If your brackets are complicated, select from Advanced options.



The other scenario where you might want to use this technique is when you

already created a bunch of HDR images (possibly through batch processing)

and want to apply the same tone mapping settings to them. You don’t need to

re-create the HDR images — all you need to do is feed the single HDR images

collectively into the batch process single files hopper.

The same general prep work for bracketed exposure batch processing

applies here (see the previous section), and the steps are similar. Follow

Steps 1–5 in the “Batch-Processing Multiple Files” section, and then follow

these steps for processing batches of single files:

1. Select a conversion type and method:

• If you’re working with single Raw images: Select the Convert Raw

Files into Pseudo-HDR Images check box, and then select the tone

mapping options you want to employ.

• If you’re tone mapping existing HDR images (pseudo or not): Select

the Tone Map HDR Image Files or Psuedo-HDR Images With check

box, as shown in Figure 9-24.

Figure 9-24: Selecting a single source conversion method.



2. Click the Settings button and enter your tone mapping settings manu-

ally or with a preset.

3. Click the Select Folder button and browse to the source folder.

Identify the folder that contains the single Raw images to convert and

tone map, or existing HDR images to tone map.

4. Select a destination and format by selecting the Created under Source

Folder or the Customized Location radio button.

If you select the Customized Location radio button, click the Choose

button to choose to have the results saved in a subfolder within the

source folder or in a new location.

5. If you’re simply converting single Raw exposures to pseudo-HDR,

choose a format from the Save 32-Bit HDR Image As drop-down list.

You can also choose the final tone mapped image format from the

Save Tone Mapped Image As drop-down list.

6. Click the Run button and close the dialog box when Photomatix is

done with the batch process.

Photomatix processes the images according to your wishes, and gives

you status reports along the way.


10Layers, Process, and Blending

In This Chapter▶ Understanding layers and big league layer management

▶ Optimizing your workflow

▶ Blending, blending, and more blending

Achapter in an HDR photography book on layers, process, and blending?

Yup. Layers, process, and blending are important topics when it comes

to editing a tone mapped HDR image. Layers make a lot of things — like

blending — possible. You can use layers to make different adjustments and

changes, track changes, evaluate different approaches, and undo your work

to various points in the process to start fresh.

Managing layers is part of an overall process where you try to work

in a fairly structured way to achieve specific goals rather than

work randomly or haphazardly. That’s not to say that ran-

domness isn’t fun, but when you try and re-create or

remember something you’ve done in an earlier image,

you’ll appreciate a bit of order.

Blending, which relies on manipulating layers,

enables you to make things look more or less real-

istic, correct specific problems within your images,

and accentuate or protect positive aspects from

other edits. (For example, noise reduction notori-

ously degrades your images.) You can selectively

edit and control how things appear in the final image.

In the end, it’s up to you to decide how and when to use

layers and blending, and to use the processes and workflow

that makes the most sense to you. However, the information in

this chapter can make post-HDR editing much more productive and

rewarding for you.



Taking the Layers Refresher CourseLayers are indispensible tools to use if you want professional editing results.

It’s that simple. They assist you while you edit your tone mapped HDR

images and make certain techniques — such as blending — possible. If you

don’t use layers often, spend time in this chapter coming to grips with what

they are and how they work.

The lasagna of layersPhotoshop Elements 8 (like virtually all dedicated graphics applications

today) can store image elements — such as copies of the image with different

effects and adjustments applied independently — on layers. It’s like stacking

different images on top of each other. Each layer is unique, but in the same

file. Layers combine to create what you see.

If you’ve ever eaten lasagna, you know what I’m talking about. Each layer

of pasta, cheese, and sauce builds on the one below it and they all work

together to make the dish. Layers. Lasagna.

Unlike the layers you’ll find in lasagna, though, image layers are separate and

can be selected, moved, deleted, and edited independently. They don’t con-

geal or otherwise stick together (unless you link them, but no need to get into

that here). There is, however, a pecking order to what you can and can’t see.

A layer on the bottom is normally invisible — covered up by layers above it.

There are exceptions to this, which spices things up — and makes blending

possible.

The exceptions are

✓ Transparency: Pixels and layers can be deleted (or not painted). When

this happens, what’s there is a transparent pixel or layer. It still exists,

but it has no content. It’s like a transparent sheet that allows everything

beneath it to show through.

Transparent areas allow you to blend the contents of different layers

together as if they were one solid image. This is very helpful if you want

to sharpen one area of an image but not the rest. You would put the

sharpened layer above one without extra sharpening and delete pixels

from the sharper layer that you don’t want to appear sharpened.

Figure 10-1 illustrates replacement clouds in an image. The rest of the

layer has been deleted. You can see the transparent areas as a checker-

board, which allows whatever is underneath this layer to be seen. The

bottom layer, which has the building and the rest of the scene, is hidden

at the moment. When it is turned on, the clouds blend right in.


199 Chapter 10: Layers, Process, and Blending

Figure 10-1: Transparent pixels are see-through.

✓ Semi-transparency (also known as opacity): Pixels and layers can be

partially transparent. This means they haven’t been completely deleted.

They’re only mostly deleted (like in The Princess Bride). This allows con-

tent below to show through, but only partially.

Opacity is a great way to blend parts of layers or entire layers together.

Overlaying a realistic semi-transparent layer on top of a less realistic

version of the image increases the apparent realism of the image.

Figure 10-2 shows the effects of a partially transparent layer on top of

the background. The nontransparent pixels in the clouds layer have

been selected so you can see their extent. The layer’s visibility has been

reduced to 49% to blend.

✓ Blending modes: This is when you get to change the rules. Normally,

opacity is king, which means that layers are blended — or blocked —

based on what layers on top are opaque. You can change this behavior

to include blending based on lightness, color, differences, and so forth.

Refer to Chapter 13 for more about using the Color blending mode to

tint images.



✓ Masking: Masking is a form of transparency and semi-transparency, but

it’s not available in Photoshop Elements (except when you’re working

with panoramas). When you mask something, you’re telling Photoshop

to hide it, which allows content below to shine through. See Chapter 12

for more on using masks.

If you have Photoshop Elements, you can duplicate the effect of masks

by erasing parts of layers. You won’t be able to alter the area after it’s

deleted (which is one of the best things about a mask), but the blending

works the same way.

Figure 10-2: Layers can be semi-transparent, too.

Managing layersBeing able to manage your layers is important, especially if you’re using them

to perform complex image blending. Here are some of the more important

layer commands you should be familiar with in Photoshop Elements 8:

✓ Select a layer. Click the layer thumbnail or name to select it. This makes

the layer active. Just about everything you do (paint, erase, apply

adjustments, alter layer opacity, and so on) happens to the selected

layer.



✓ Duplicate a layer. This creates a copy of the layer you selected and

puts it above the original. You have a chance to rename the copy as you

create it. I use this all the time in my methodology (which I show you in

a bit). To duplicate a layer, right-click (Windows) or Control-click (Mac)

the layer in the Layers palette and choose Duplicate Layer.

✓ Rename a layer. Being able to rename any layer is helpful to keep

track of what you’re doing. Rename the layers according to what you’re

doing with them. For example, you could rename a layer to Sharpen, indicating you sharpened it. To rename a layer, double-click its name in

the Layers palette. Type in a new name and click elsewhere to complete

the operation.

✓ Drag and drop layers. Click to drag and then release to drop a layer to

change its order in the Layers palette, as shown in Figure 10-3. I don’t

normally need to move a bunch of layers around, but you can duplicate

your Background layer and move it to the top to quickly compare the

final versus original image by hiding and showing the new top layer.

Click the Eye icon to show/hide a layer.

Click, drag, and release to reorder a layer.

Figure 10-3: Moving a layer.



✓ Hide a layer. Poke the eyeball

next to the layer thumbnail (as

seen in Figure 10-3) to turn off

the layer. Poke the empty box

where it was to turn the layer

back on.

✓ Change the opacity. Use the

arrow shown in Figure 10-4 to

access the Opacity slider. Move

it back and forth to change the

opacity of the layer you have

chosen. Remember, this affects

the selected layer. Make sure

you have the correct layer

selected before altering the opacity. You can also select the opacity per-

centage and enter a new value from your keyboard.

✓ Use a blending mode. Select the Blending Mode drop-down list (refer to

Figure 10-4) to access the long list of blending modes (discussed

in a bit).

✓ The rest: Of course, you can delete layers, link layers, merge layers, and

so forth, but these commands are beyond what I want to show you. (For

more information on these topics, you can pick up Photoshop Elements 8 For Dummies by Barbara Obermeier and Ted Padova [Wiley].) The more you

study layers, the more you will open up the commands and options. As you

do so, you will continue to enhance your ability to edit HDR images.

Mama Mia MethodologiaWhile I’m talking about layers and how to manage them, this seems like a

good place to show you my strategy of how you can use layers effectively in

HDR, which boils down to using layers to track your edits — locking them in

the file via layers. This allows you to be more consistent, experiment with dif-

ferent approaches to the same image, and go back to any stage in the process

to try something new without having to start over from scratch. Following

those general principles, you see my detailed workflow. This takes the basic

strategy and turns it into a practical series of steps to follow.

Editing with layersThere are pros and cons to the methodology and workflow I use — and you

certainly don’t have to copy it exactly. I developed this workflow over the

years working with photo retouching and restoration, image manipulation,

graphics and Web development, and HDR.

Blending Mode drop-down list

Opacity slider

Figure 10-4: Changing layer opacity.



To wit, here are the principles, starting with a tone mapped HDR image:

✓ Save as PSD. Open up your tone mapped HDR image and immediately

save it as a Photoshop (PSD) file. This preserves the original tone

mapped file. Also, any layers you add will be preserved and editable the

next time you open the PSD file.

The PSD file is, therefore, your highest quality, uncropped, unresized

working file. You work with the PSD file until it’s finalized and you’re ready

to publish the image. (For example, if you want to put the image on the

Web, you need to reduce the image size and save it as a JPEG to make it

small enough that it doesn’t choke people’s Internet connections.)

✓ Preserve the Background layer. Preserve the Background layer (as

shown in Figure 10-5) as the inviolable source image by duplicating

the layer and never making any edits to the Background layer. In this

case, it is your tone mapped HDR image that you open up to create the

Photoshop file. Keeping the Background layer safe makes it possible to

compare your work with the tone mapped original, which in turn makes

it possible to evaluate whether your changes look better or worse.

✓ Merge layers. Merged layers are special layers where I combine the

results of blended and semi-transparent layers into one opaque work-

ing layer. I can show/hide the merged layer by clicking the Eye icon to

compare the merged layer against any other layer in the file. This makes

it easy to evaluate your progress, and also provides a firm foundation to

make more edits on.

To create a merged layer, select the top, visible layer and then choose

Select➪All. (Should you have any layers above where you want to copy,

click the Eye icon to hide them.) Next, choose Edit➪Copy Merged. Finally,

paste the merged layer at the top of the Layers palette and rename it.

Figure 10-5 shows what this looks like on the Layers palette. The

Background layer is untouched and provides the blending base. Noise

reduction has been applied to the sky and water, but erased from the trees

and bridge. The merged layer rests on top, making the bottom two layers

irrelevant except for situational awareness and backtracking purposes.

✓ Duplicate and do: Duplicate a layer, rename it, and then apply one

adjustment to it: one — and only one — change. Keeping this simple

makes it easy to track your changes, compare results, and backtrack if

you need to.

Some people prefer to work with Adjustment layers, but I don’t use

them. (Adjustment layers are essentially overlays that contain lighting,

color, and other edits that affect the layers beneath them — but do not

imprint the changes on the layers themselves.) My experience is they

create a large file, slowing down my work too much, and make it harder

to manage multiple changes. They do, however, preserve the settings

better than standard layers do. You can, however, write the settings

down for later use.



Lock the Background layer.

Figure 10-5: Merged layers lock blending layers into a single solid layer.

Depending on the image (follow along with Figure 10-6), I might have the fol-

lowing layers (from top to bottom, as you would see it in the Layers palette):

✓ Final: The final image that I use to save as the final full-sized image or as

a new file to continue working. It’s the same as the last layer or a merged

copy of semi-transparent layers beneath it, but I like having one named

Final so I can see it immediately.

✓ Transform: A layer where I had to rotate, reposition, or remove lens

distortion.

✓ Merged: Combines the Saturation and Contrast layers, resulting in a

solid layer with all the changes.

✓ Saturation: Contains a saturation adjustment. Areas I don’t want over-

saturated are erased.

✓ Contrast: Contains a contrast adjustment. Areas where I want less con-

trast are erased.

✓ Clone: Contains the results of cloning out dust or other distractions.



✓ Merged: Combines the results of noise reduction with the previous

merged layer.

✓ Noise reduction: Contains noise reduction, with areas I want left alone

either erased or masked out.

✓ Background: The original image.

Figure 10-6: A working file with layer history.

If you’re new to working with layers, you may feel a little overwhelmed. If

that’s the case, pay close attention to the screen shots in the next few chap-

ters. You’ll see the layers arranged as I’ve presented here. This approach

also represents my workflow, which is coming up next.

The workflow (cue reveal music)To get to this point, you took bracketed photos, created and tone mapped

the HDR image, and then saved the tone mapped image as a JPEG or TIFF.

Although you could publish that version to the Web, you’ll have a better

looking image if you correct problems like noise and make other enhance-

ments like sharpening and contrast adjustments to the tone mapped image

before you publish or print it.



The following sections describe my post–tone mapping workflow and why I

use it.

Save the image as a PSDThe first step in my workflow is to save the tone mapped image as a PSD as

follows:

1. Open your tone mapped file in Photoshop Elements.

2. Choose File➪Save As and save the file in the Photoshop (.psd) format.

This ensures you don’t overwrite the tone mapped file.

3. Choose Image➪Mode➪8 Bits/Channel to convert the file to 8 bits.

If necessary, convert an 16 bits-per-channel tone mapped image to an

8 bits-per-channel image first. Photoshop Elements provides limited

support for 16 bits-per-channel images. For example, you can’t duplicate

the Background layer of a 16 bits-per-channel image in Elements, you

can’t use the Enhance➪Convert to Black and White command, nor can

you use the Filter➪Correct Camera Distortion command to correct lens

distortions. However, when I work in Photoshop (which is most of the

time), I don’t convert my images to 8 bits-per-channel. Photoshop has

more mojo on tap to work with 16 bits-per-channel images.

Look for places to blend material from alternate sourcesBe on the lookout for areas where you may need to blend material in from

alternate sources. For example, if part of the sky is blown out, you might

want to replace the blown-out sky with a version that has been tone mapped

differently so the sky looks better (what often happens is the rest of the

photo stinks, but that’s why you’re looking to blend the sky in and not a com-

plete image). See the later section, “And Now, Blending in 3-D,” to find the

details of how to accomplish this.

It’s not easy to say in every instance at what point blending should take

place. Sometimes, it’s best to do this as soon as possible — before sharpen-

ing, noise reduction, and so forth. However, you might have to wait and blend

later in the process, depending on the tonality of the images you’re blending.

Figure 10-7 shows two areas that use alternate sources to blend with the tone

mapped background. The sky was a bit blown out, and the lighting in and out

of the garage looked bad in this version. The red layer (named helper) is so

you can identify the extent of the new material and is not part of the image as

I would edit it.

Duplicate the Background layer and sharpen(Remember, you want to preserve the Background layer so you have the

original tone mapped image within this file.)



Figure 10-7: Replacing material immediately in this case.

Create a duplicate of the Background layer, or create a merged copy if you

already have several layers. Make sure you rename the layer in the Layers

palette. (See the earlier section, “Managing layers,” for instructions on dupli-

cating and renaming layers.)

If necessary, sharpen the image (make sure your new duplicate layer is

selected first) by choosing Enhance➪Adjust Sharpness or Enhance➪Unsharp Mask. The Adjust Sharpness dialog box appears, as shown in Figure

10-8, where I’m sharpening the building. The sign is a good guide to see the

effects. If necessary, use the blending techniques shown in the “And Now,

Blending in 3-D” section to isolate what you want sharpened and blend that

in with the rest of the image.

From this point on, I assume you get the point about duplicating layers and

why I do this. You’ll want to keep at it, renaming as you go along. If you have

semi-transparent blended layers, duplicating isn’t enough. You have to select

the entire canvas, perform a merged copy, and then paste that as a new layer.

(See the earlier section, “Editing with layers,” for instructions.)



Perform noise reductionReducing noise is similar

to sharpening. Create a

duplicate layer, and then

choose Filter➪Noise➪Reduce Noise. Figure 10-9

shows the Reduce Noise

dialog box open with the

default settings being

applied to the sky.

I perform sharpening

and noise reduction

first from trial and error.

I used to wait to sharpen

and remove noise until

after I made other

adjustments (contrast,

levels, color, saturation,

and so on). However, I

invariably ran into an

unfortunate side effect:

Sharpening and noise

removal altered the look

of the image so much

that I needed to go back

and perform many of

the same tasks again.

I therefore decided to

sharpen and perform

noise reduction first

and ask questions later.

Clone away dust and other problemsI tackle dust and other distractions before I make other changes so every-

thing is in place for the tone and brightness changes coming up. To clean up

an imperfection, select the Clone Stamp tool, Alt-click (Windows) or Option-

click (Mac) a “good” area near the imperfection, and then click the marred

spot. I wait until after sharpening/noise reduction because those operations

increase or reduce edge contrast, and I prefer not to give them any additional

material to alter that isn’t in the original.

Figure 10-9: Reduce noise.

Figure 10-8: Sharpen the duplicate layer.



Check color (that is, white) balance and brightnessChoose Enhance➪Adjust Lighting➪Levels to open the Levels dialog box

(as shown in Figure 10-10). Click the

Auto button to see whether you like

the change. After this, look at the

histogram. Then select the individual

color channels and examine their

histograms.

Sometimes, a correction is neces-

sary; sometimes, it isn’t. You can

alter an image’s contrast through the

Levels dialog box, but I prefer to use

the Curves dialog box for that.

Correct obnoxious color problemsThere’s a difference between tweaking color to enhance (which I do later) and

solving color problems (which I do here). Sometimes, you’ll have an image

with too much of a single color. You can control this from the Hue/Saturation

dialog box (choose Enhance➪Adjust Color➪Adjust Hue/Saturation).

Enhance brightness and contrastI use the Adjust Color

Curves dialog box to

enhance the brightness

and contrast. Choose

Enhance➪Adjust Color➪Adjust Color Curves to

open this dialog box, as

shown in Figure 10-11.

Detailed info on how to

tweak brightness/contrast

and many other tasks can

be found in this and the

following two chapters.

Don’t worry. Here, I’m

talking you through the

workflow.

You can also choose Enhance➪Adjust Lighting ➪Brightness/Contrast or even

Enhance➪Adjust Lighting➪Shadows/Highlights.

Figure 10-10: Correct levels.

Figure 10-11: Enhance contrast.



Make creative saturation adjustmentsSaturation adjustments can be

varied. In general, I look to increase

saturation to add some pop. You

can also reduce saturation to make

the photo look a bit aged. Choose

Adjustments➪Adjust Color➪Hue/

Saturation to open the Hue/

Saturation dialog box, as shown in

Figure 10-12.

Dodge and burnUse the Dodge or Burn tools to add

highlights and shadows where you

want them. (The Dodge tool lightens

the area you paint, while the Burn tool darkens the area.) When well done,

this adds to the overall impact of the photo. Clouds look great when you add

tone this way (a smidge of both), as do trees and other greenery. (I normally

lighten the highlights of trees.)

(Optional) Convert to black and white I cover converting images to black and white in Chapter 13. Although it looks

like I wait a long time for this step, remember that you don’t have to apply

every adjustment to every image. For images I know I want to be in black and

white, I might skip a lot of the color adjustments unless I think they will add

to how the black-and-white image is converted.

Correct distortions and straightenCorrect any lens distor-

tions and straighten

the image by choosing

Filter➪Correct Camera

Distortion to open

the Correct Camera

Distortion dialog box, as


Remember that you’re

working on a duplicate

layer built up from all the

previous steps, and you

could be up to eight or

ten layers by now.

Figure 10-12: Increasing color intensity.

Figure 10-13: Correcting distortion in the image.



I wait until I’m almost done to correct distortion and straighten an image

because these corrections (and the following one) change what pixels are vis-

ible onscreen. If I want to come back and alter how I corrected the distortion

or recomposed the image, I don’t have to start everything over from scratch.

I simply pick up at the last layer, duplicate it again, choose Filter➪Correct

Camera Distortion, and change the settings I used earlier.

You can sometimes combine this and the next step if you don’t have any dis-

tortion to fix.

RecomposeI save recomposing for last, for the same reason I wait to correct lens distor-

tion next-to-last.

I transform images by

enlarging this layer (see

Figure 10-14) rather than

cropping the entire image.

You can see the drag han-

dles and border outside

of the image frame — this

area is the actual extent

of the image and is effec-

tively cropped from view

by this technique. There

are some drawbacks to

this — mainly that it takes

up a lot of memory and

can make performance

sluggish. If your computer

can handle it, however,

this method preserves all

the layers underneath in

their uncropped state.

If your computer is getting sluggish because your image file is too big and

bulky (hence the overall memory load is getting larger and larger), save the

file, and then simplify your layer structure by deleting everything but your

uppermost working layer and background. Save the image as a new working

version with a new filename. Continue working in the new, slimmer file —

starting where you left off.

You can also choose Select➪All and then Image➪Crop to erase everything

outside the image boundaries. This deletes all the super-sized extra stuff.

Figure 10-14: Recomposing the image.



PublishYour original tone mapped file was either a JPEG or TIFF. You should

be working with a Photoshop Elements (PSD) file when you’re editing to

enhance the image. When you publish your final image, save a new version of

the PSD as a JPEG (for Web use) or a TIFF (for archive and printing).

And Now, Blending in 3-DClearly, some edits don’t require blending. Say the image looks great. A little

sharpening across the image is fine. There is no need for noise reduction.

You don’t see any reason (creative or otherwise) to blend different changes

together. Cool. That happens. And when it does, don’t mess it up by over-

working the image.

On the other hand, sometimes it’s not so simple. You might want to sharpen

one part of the image more than the rest, or add a touch of realism to the

entire image. You can do these things, and more, if you blend results from

different adjustments on different layers.

Blending enables you to think and edit in three dimensions.

Blending with opacityOne of the simplest ways to blend two or more layers is to lower the opac-

ity of the upper layers. I often use opacity blending to add a touch of realism

back into a tone mapped image, especially with people.

I use this technique all the time. Say you want to make a contrast adjustment

but decide to tone it down some — just follow these steps:

1. Duplicate the layer on which you want to make the adjustment.

This is another reason to work with different layers: It opens up a

number of blending opportunities.

2. Make the adjustment.

The contrast adjustment is good, but a little too strong. (See the left side

of Figure 10-15.) Rather than continually undoing and redoing, it’s sim-

pler to blend the right strength by altering opacity on the contrast layer.

See the right side of Figure 10-15.

3. Create a merged layer, as described in the earlier section, “Editing

with layers.” (See Figure 10-16.)

4. Continue working.



Figure 10-15: Blending just the right amount.

Photoshop has an Edit➪Fade com-

mand that essentially works the

same way as opacity blending. Make

the adjustment you wish, and then

immediately fade it by a certain

percentage. I prefer to use layers

because you can fiddle with it later,

but you might find Fade worth your

time.

You can stack a number of layers on

top of each other, each having their

own opacity, to create a very com-

plex blend. As described in Chapter

13, this is an effective way of color-

izing or tinting an image.

Blending select areasUnfortunately, Photoshop Elements doesn’t allow you to create and edit

masks. Masks make the selective application of changes to an image pretty

easy — and you can edit the mask after you create it.

You can duplicate the effects of masking with the good old-fashioned Eraser,

though. Here’s how.

Figure 10-16: Locking in the blend.



1. Duplicate the layer on which

you want to make the

adjustment.

In this case (see Figure 10-17), I

duplicated the Background layer

twice — once for a sharpening

adjustment and another to

reduce noise. This is an alternate

method that splits sharpening

and noise reduction. Instead of

performing one adjustment on

top of the other, they will be

completely independent and

blended after the fact.

2. Make the adjustments.

In this example, I’m sharpening

the foreground and reducing

noise in the sky on two separate

layers. Figure 10-18 shows the

Layers palette after the adjust-

ments have been made and the

layers renamed. They’re ready

to blend.

3. Select the Eraser tool and erase

what you don’t want sharpened

on the sharpen layer.

Because this isn’t a mask, you

have to be careful and erase

only what you don’t want to see

sharpened. Don’t be afraid to undo. Change brush sizes and hardness

to make erasing easier. You want to blend the edges, so stay away from

hard brushes.

I’m erasing the sky in Figure 10-19 because it doesn’t need to be sharp-

ened. In fact, if you sharpen skies with too much noise, you end up with

sharp noise that’s even harder to remove than the traditional variety.

Notice that the other layers are hidden. This ensures you are working on

the right layer and are erasing only what you want to.

In Figure 10-20, I switched to the noise reduction layer and am erasing

the cityscape, which needs no noise reduction. Again, I turned off the

other layers so I can tell exactly what I’m doing.

If you want to get really creative, combine this technique with altering

layer opacity. In other words, reduce the strength of your noise reduc-

tion and sharpening layers to blend them with the background. The

blending possibilities are astounding.

Figure 10-17: Create duplicate layers to work with.

Figure 10-18: Ready to blend.



Figure 10-19: Erase areas to leave unsharpened.

4. Create a merged layer to lock in your changes to one layer, as

described in the “Editing with layers” section.

It helps to leave the Background layer (or another one underneath the

operation) on when you copy the merged layers. This makes sure you

have no transparent or semi-transparent pixels in the mix. Figure 10-21

shows the blended and merged copy layer, resting atop the work layers.

If everything blended together nicely, this is your new Background layer.


The great thing about this technique is that you can use it with any number

of layers. If you want a lot of noise reduction in the sky, some on the build-

ings, a little in the water, and none in the trees, create three duplicate layers,

adjust them differently, and then erase the areas you don’t need. They will

blend together (along with the base layer, which remained unchanged) to

form a completely customized and blended result.

If you’re using Photoshop or another application that supports masks, use

masks instead. They have the advantage of being flexible — you can edit

what is hidden and what is exposed.



Figure 10-20: Erase areas to ignore noise reduction.

Photoshop versus Photoshop ElementsYes, Photoshop has even more powerful and creative ways to blend layers together than its little brother Photoshop Elements. What would you expect from the leading photo editing appli-cation? There are a few differences between Photoshop and Elements that you might find interesting.

Layers in Photoshop have blending options based on a tonal range you define. Aside from selecting a blend mode and opacity, you can specify advanced blending parameters and set blending conditions on the tonality of the current layer or that below. To access these features,

right-click the layer in the Layers palette and choose Blending Options.

The other major difference is the fact that Photoshop supports (and that’s an under-statement) masks. Elements does not, except when you open a Photoshop file with masks in it, create a panorama, or use clipping masks (which is a type of mask, but not comparable to the classic mask). Masks are wonderful tools to use: like erasing part of the layer without erasing it because you can always go back and refine the mask.



Figure 10-21: Merging the results.

Using blending modesBlending modes are powerful ways to control — yes, you guessed it — blend-

ing. The default blending mode in Photoshop Elements is called Normal,

which is based on opacity. A number of blending modes are available in

Photoshop Elements, and some are more useful than others. Table 10-1

shows how they are grouped into different sections on the menu.

Table 10-1 Photoshop Elements Blending ModesMode Use Types

Normal Blends based on opacity Normal and Dissolve

Darken Darken the image Includes Darken, Multiply, Color Burn, Linear Burn, and Darker Color

Lighten Lighten the image Includes Lighten, Screen, Color Dodge, Linear Dodge (Add), and Lighter Color

(continued)



Table 10-1 (continued)Mode Use Types

Contrast In general, alters the con-trast of the image

Includes Overlay, Soft Light, Hard Light, Vivid Light, Pin Light, and Hard Mix

Compare Look for similarities or differences between the layers

Includes Difference and Exclusion

Color Compares the hue, satura-tion, color, or luminosity of the layers to create a blend.

Includes Hue, Saturation, Color, and Luminosity

To use blending modes, follow these steps:

1. Duplicate the layer you want to make the adjustment to.

2. (Optional) Make adjustments.

In this example, I made two creative decisions. First, I turned the

duplicate layer into a gradient map by choosing Filter➪Adjustments➪Gradient Map (see Figure 10-22).

Figure 10-22: Create the gradient map.



Next, I colorized the gradi-

ent map layer by choosing

Enhance➪Adjust Color➪Hue

Saturation. The dialog box is


You don’t actually have to make

adjustments — changing the

blending mode doesn’t require

you to. However, this is a cre-

ative way to show you another

way to colorize an image.

3. Select a mode from the

Blending Mode drop-down

list.

In this case, I selected Hue.

The effects are shown in

Figure 10-24.

Figure 10-24: Change the blend mode.

Figure 10-23: Colorizing the gradient map layer.



4. Create a merged layer, as described earlier in the “Editing with

layers” section.


Of course, you can stack layers, each with a different blending mode, for com-

plex results. Most often, however, you’ll use a single layer above another.


11Cleaning Up Your Photos

In This Chapter▶ Reducing noise

▶ Removing distractions

▶ Resolving distortion

▶ Reworking color and saturation

▶ Re-leveling lightness

▶ Re-something-or-other to do with smoothing

▶ Publishing your HDR photos on the Web or printing them

Tone mapped images don’t always come out of your favorite HDR applica-

tion looking perfect. In fact, most of the time, they need further editing

before they’re “perfect.” Some images have too much noise (a

common problem with HDR) in general, or they may need dif-

ferent levels of noise reduction in different areas. Some have

dust, moving objects, or other distracting things that are

best removed. Many images have lens distortion, which

wide angle lenses tend to accentuate. At times, you’ll

see color problems — too much, too little, too much

of a single color, or the wrong color. And on top of all

this, artifacts can appear in tone mapped images that

are the result of movement in the scene.

This chapter shows you common problems that

plague HDR images and gives you solid techniques

to combat them. I show you how to reduce noise and

blend that reduction in with the rest of the image, and

I show you a few different ways to remove distractions,

such as dust and other objects.



This chapter won’t show you how to correct every image problem in the

known universe in every possible way — but you won’t run into many prob-

lems that aren’t here or in the other chapters. (This chapter is organized

by types of problems and doesn’t reflect the contents of the entire editing

workflow. For workflow information, see Chapter 10.)

Hey! Keep the Noise Down in There!Noise, as I mention several times throughout this book, is problematic for

HDR. Although you can attempt to reduce noise in other parts of the HDR

process, you have the most control over where, how, and how much to

remove in post-tone mapping editing.

The thing to remember with noise is that you are always on the horns of a

dilemma (see Figure 11-1):

✓ Too little: If you’re not firm enough, you’ll leave unwanted noise in your

image.

✓ Too much: If you’re too aggressive, you can destroy lines and detail in

your images, resulting in something without sharpness — a soft image.

(Chapter 15 holds other examples of too much noise reduction.)

Well, the point of noise reduction is to reduce noise, right? If you don’t go far

enough, you leave in noise — but if you go too far, you can hurt the image.

What’s a person to do?

Figure 11-1: Noise reduction: too little (left), just right (middle), too much (right).

Global noise smackdownYou can always apply noise reduction to the entire layer you’re working

on. This is the massive retaliation option. See it. Smack it. Smell the burn.


223 Chapter 11: Cleaning Up Your Photos

It’s pretty easy to do, too, which is a bonus. (See Photoshop Elements 8 For Dummies by Barbara Obermeier and Ted Padova [Wiley] for plenty of details

about using Elements.)

Here’s how to apply noise reduction in Photoshop Elements:

1. Duplicate the layer you want to make the adjustment on.

See Chapter 10 for my rationale on working with different layers.

You can’t duplicate the Background layer in Photoshop Elements if you

haven’t converted the image to 8 Bits/Channel.

Figure 11-2 illustrates a working noise reduction layer above the back-

ground. Apply noise reduction to this layer, and then duplicate it and

continue working. You end up with a file with layers stacked on each

other — each with a different adjustment.

Figure 11-2: Preparing the working layer first.

2. Choose Filter➪Noise➪Reduce Noise to start the process.

3. In the Reduce Noise dialog box that opens (see Figure 11-3),

choose from



Figure 11-3: Reducing noise.

• Strength (0–10): Determine how strongly you want to seek out

and destroy noise. The catch is that Strength targets noise (the

random, mottled specks of random pixels) that’s gray, black,

or white — luminance noise.

• Preserve Details (0–100%): Set how much you want to try to protect

edge details in the image. This basically allows you to set a high

Strength and have Elements remove noise in larger areas but not

overdo it when it comes to lines and edges.

• Reduce Color Noise (0–100%): Set this strength setting for noise

that shows up in the image as variations in color.

• Remove JPEG Artifact: If you see JPEG compression artifacts, select-

ing this check box tries to take them out. This shouldn’t be much

of a problem for your HDR images.

4. Select OK to apply noise reduction.


Although you can use other methods for noise reduction in Photoshop

Elements, Reduce Noise is the most applicable to HDR images because it

works well to reduce noise without as much blurring, and happens to be

more customizable than alternate methods. Try the other methods (acces-

sible from the Filters➪Noise menu), though, to see whether they work for

you in certain circumstances:

✓ Despeckle: This filter blurs everything except edges and produces a much

softer image, which is fine in theory, or when you have a lot of speckles.

You have no control over the strength, though, but you can blend. See the

before and after in Figure 11-4.



✓ Dust & Scratches:

Don’t confuse this

filter as having any-

thing to do with

removing sensor

dust spots (which

are normally much

larger). It basically

blends pixels together

that contrast. Not

a bad solution for

actual dust and

scratches on scanned

prints, but even a

light application ren-

ders a tone mapped

image pretty blurry.

See the before and

after in Figure 11-5.

✓ Median: The Median

filter is sort of an

averaging method

that replaces pixels

with the median

value of pixels that

surround them. This

area can be large

(resulting in a ton

of blurring) or small

(which still results

in blurring, but not

so much that you

want to hurl). See

the before and after

in Figure 11-6.

Select and reduceApplying noise reduction to an entire layer has its strengths and weaknesses.

One big weakness is the fact that you might not need the same level of noise

reduction across the image. This is definitely a factor for photos that contain

a lot of texture and detail — trees, concrete, rocks, hair, and so forth. One

method to get around this is to select the noisy areas first and then apply

noise reduction to those specific areas. The drawback to this is that selecting

complex areas with any metaphysical degree of certitude is often very hard,

which means you’ll end up with compromises, or it will take forever.

Figure 11-4: Despeckle before and after.

Figure 11-5: Dust & Scratches before and after.

Figure 11-6: Median before and after.



Figure 11-7 shows an image taken from a bridge. The iron latticework makes

for a tough selection. I’ve tried to select areas I want to reduce noise in with

the Magic Wand, and the result is poor.

On the other hand, there’s not much difference between selecting areas versus

erasing them in Elements (as part of blending) or using a mask in Photoshop.

The supreme advantage to a mask, of course, is being able to change the

masked area after the fact. After all, after you delete something, it’s gone.

For me, the tiebreaker comes down to a desire to keep noise reduction iso-

lated to separate layers, and blending the results afterward.

Figure 11-7: Selecting complex areas first is fraught with difficulties.

Masked reductionThe next step up the ladder of sophistication is masked (or erased) noise

reduction. This works very well for landscape shots with a good deal of sky

and possibly water. Here’s how:


2. Choose Filter➪Noise➪Reduce Noise.

3. From the Reduce Noise dialog box, choose the noise reduction options

you want (refer to the earlier section, “Global noise smackdown”) and

then click OK.

4. Make sure the reduce noise layer is active, and then erase the areas

you don’t want noise reduction applied to.

You can choose a few different methods to erase areas from the noise

reduction layer. This blends the reduction in with layers below that

have no noise reduction applied.

• Select and delete. Switch to your favorite selection method, select

areas to erase, and then delete them.



• Select, invert, and delete. Sometimes it’s easier to select the oppo-

site areas. For example, the sky tends to benefit from noise reduc-

tion much more than trees and the ground. In this scenario, using

the Magic Wand to select areas to delete (trees and the ground) is

almost impossible because those areas have too much texture and

variability. It’s far easier to use the Magic Wand to select the sky,

invert the selection (choose Selection➪Inverse), and delete.

• Erase. Switch to the Eraser and erase the areas of the layer you

don’t want to see.

Elements offers a few different erasers. The standard Eraser is

manual mode. There are also the Background Eraser and the Magic

Eraser. The Background Eraser erases material similar to where

you first click and erase in the image — it assumes you are erasing

the background. The Magic Eraser acts like the Magic Wand. Click

an area you want to delete, and presto! — it’s gone!

• Opt for the combo platter. I normally switch to the Lasso and

quickly outline areas I want to delete, as shown in Figure 11-8.

The trees and buildings in this scene I’m selecting don’t need

noise reduction, so they can be deleted from this layer. The layer

beneath — the Background in this case — shows through and pre-

serves their sharpness. This is a rough selection. No need to spend

an inordinate amount of time on it.

I then use

the Eraser in

Brush mode

to fine-tune

the border, as

shown in Figure

11-9, changing

brushes to suit

the conditions. Don’t let

yourself get too wrapped

up in precision here.

It’s important not to be

sloppy, but the border

doesn’t need to be exact.

That’s the beauty of blend-

ing. I go over the lines a

bit into the sky to make

sure the edges of the trees

aren’t softened, and I just

don’t worry about the part

of the sky that gets erased.

One big (and negative) difference between Elements and Photoshop

rears its head when you try to figure out how to alter a brush’s hardness

Figure 11-8: Quickly selecting areas to delete.

Figure 11-9: Cleaning up the border.



in Elements. You can’t (for most, that is — the Background Eraser and

Healing Brush are two exceptions).

Change hardness for the normal Eraser in Elements by selecting differ-

ent brushes or switching the Eraser mode from Brush to Pencil or Block.

5. Perform a merged copy (see Chapter 10) and continue working.

This consolidates the effects of the blend into one solid layer.

Multiple masked reductionThe pinnacle of noise reduction methodology is to apply tailored noise

reduction levels to specific areas of the image by using multiple layers and

masks (or the Eraser, in the case of Elements). Although that sounds com-

plicated, I think you’ll find the most you’ll ever practically need is two levels

of noise reduction, possibly three. If you see other parts of the image you

want to try different levels of noise reduction on, duplicate the last un-noise-

reduced layer you have and apply a different amount of noise reduction to

the newly duplicated layer.

Figure 11-10 shows three noise reduction layers being finished. Apply the

noise reduction first; then delete what you don’t need out of each layer.

Remember, the three layers have different noise reduction strength. More

for the ceiling, less for the walls, and just a bit for the floor.

Figure 11-10: Erasing unneeded areas.



Arrange the noise reduction layers

so the areas you have applied the

noise reduction to are visible and

don’t conflict with each other. In

Figure 11-11, the three areas don’t

overlap. Notice that when all the

noise reduction layers are on, there

is still quite a bit of transparent

areas. That’s because those areas

have no noise reduction at all.

After you get your noise reduc-

tion layers finalized, turn on the

Background layer (or the next layer

underneath) and create a merged copy to lock the adjustments onto

one layer.

We Have the Technology: CloningCloning is one of the most important techniques you should master if you want

total control over your HDR images. I realize that makes it sound like you’re

some sort of evil super-genius bent on taking over the world. It isn’t that scary.

Basically, it means you’re not held hostage by dust and other distractions.

Ye olde feather dusterDust, while not always a problem, is certainly an irritant with dSLRs. The

problem is caused by constantly removing and reattaching lenses. Without

the lens on, dust floats through the hole where it was mounted and gets on

the sensor. Even if you never take off the lens, the cameras aren’t air-tight.

Dust, which shows up as big blobs on photos, is most noticeable in the sky

or other light, evenly toned areas. You might not see it (hence, it won’t be a

problem) in more complex areas of your image, such as in trees and grass.

I use the Spot Healing Brush as my feather duster in most situations:


2. Select the Spot Healing Brush and set the size large enough to cover

the dust.

3. Paint over the dust spot with a circular motion.

Figure 11-11: Arranged and visible — noise reduction layers blend together.



Wax on, wax off, as shown in Figure 11-12. Notice that I’m brushing just

enough to cover the spot. When you release the mouse button, the new

material is applied. Make sure to check that it’s okay. There is another

dust spot (you can see them most clearly in the sky) to the left of the

one I am removing.

Dust spot Healing Result Too much correction

Figure 11-12: Dusting with the Spot Healing Brush.

Sometimes the Spot Healing Brush mangles the texture of an area or pulls in

unwanted material to cover the spot (see the final panel of Figure 11-12). It

should be obvious. When this happens, undo and repeat. Or, if you need

more control, switch to the Healing Brush or use the Clone Stamp tool.

Removing distractionsDust isn’t the only thing you’ll want

to remove from your photos. Other

distracting objects can take atten-

tion away from the subject or make

the scene less than desirable. Notice

the large shadow to the left in Figure

11-13? Nuke it.

The Spot Healing Brush is too large

and unwieldy to use. After all, it’s not

a spot. Switch to the Clone Stamp

tool — but that’s not all. Create a

new, empty layer and name it clone. Use this layer to apply the new mate-

rial to. This is yet another way to blend. If you don’t like the job, you’re not

stuck. You can switch to the Eraser and erase the changes you just made,

and then start over.

Change the size of the Clone Stamp tool to cover a reasonable amount of space.

You don’t want it too small, or it will take forever. Nor do you want it too

large — that makes your fixes easier to spot. Nor do you want it too hard —

Figure 11-13: The shadow to the left distracts.



that makes the edges too easy to

spot. You want it juuust right.

Select the Sample All Layers check

box (on the toolbar) and make sure

that the empty clone layer is active.

This is the layer you want to paint

on. Alt-click (Windows)/Option-click

(Mac) to set the source location, and

then paint over the destination; see

this in action in Figure 11-14.

Select a new source area regularly.

Mix it up, but pay attention. If the

texture and tones don’t match, the

replacement will be visible for all

to see. You want it to be hidden

(see the result in Figure 11-15). In

addition, you don’t want features

to repeat. In this case, if you can

see the same rocks over and over,

start over.

Not everything is as complicated as

a shadow on rocks. The left panel

of Figure 11-16 shows an irritating

yellow-green light in a line of trees

at dusk. Using the Clone Stamp tool,

select an area beside the source and

then paint over the light (the right

panel of the figure). It gets pretty

easy with practice.

Figure 11-16: Clone away a ghost light.

Figure 11-14: Clone away a distracting shadow.

Figure 11-15: Watch that tones match and nothing obvious repeats.



Not all cloning is cosmetic. The left panel of Figure 11-17 shows an area on a

building that has color bleed from a banner to the building surface. This is

a tone mapping oddity. To remove it, select the Clone Stamp tool and move

into an unaffected area (one building block down in the image) to select the

source area. See the result on the right side of the figure.

Figure 11-17: Cloning sometimes solves tone mapping problems.

Fixing Lens DistortionsLook at something with straight lines. It could be your computer monitor,

tiles on your bathroom wall, bricks, a fence, or graph paper taped to your

wall. Are the lines straight? They should be. Now take a photograph of the

same scene and examine whether the lines are straight in the photo or not.

Most likely, they won’t be — even if you’re using a very expensive lens and

camera. You’re seeing distortion in action.

Distortion happens when something that should be straight appears curved

in your photographs. There are three types of lens distortion, as well as two

types of distortion caused by how you hold the camera:

✓ Lens

• Barrel: The center of the image bulges out. (See Figure 11--18.)



Barrel

Figure 11-18: A bad case of barrel distortion.

• Pincushion: The center of the image is pinched inward.

• Combination: Uneven distortion of either type (barrel or pincush-

ion) that generally looks worse in the center but tapers off to

almost straight by the edges of the image.

✓ Camera position

• Vertical: When vertical lines aren’t straight, you have vertical

distortion. This happens when you point the camera up or down,

which causes vertical lines to either fall away or toward you,

respectively. See examples of vertical distortion in Figure 11-19.

• Horizontal: When horizontal lines aren’t parallel to the ground,

you have horizontal distortion. This happens when you point the

camera left or right of the lines, which causes horizontal lines to

cant one way or the other.



Figure 11-19: Vertical distortion.

To fix lens distortion, choose Filter➪Correct Camera Distortion. In the

Correct Camera Distortion dialog box that opens, as shown in Figure 11-20,

there are several convenient options to choose:

✓ Remove Distortion: Repairs barrel (positive values correct bulging by

pushing the center in) or pincushion (negative values correct pinching

by pulling the center out) distortion. Notice the fairly large positive

value I’m using here: This helps straighten out the lamppost (com-

pared against the left panel of Figure 11-18).

Use the grid lines (select the Show Grid check box at the bottom of the

dialog box) to line things up (as shown in Figure 11-20), or turn the grid

off to see the image better. You can change the color of the grid, plus

zoom in and out.

✓ Vignette: Lightens (positive values) or darkens (negative values) the

corners of the image. Use to correct or cause vignetting. Adjust the

Midpoint slider to change how little or how much the vignetting extends

into the image.



Figure 11-20: Correcting camera distortion.

✓ Vertical Perspective: Adjust to make vertical lines vertical. Notice the large

value in this example. This was necessary to make the lamppost vertical.

✓ Horizontal Perspective: Adjust to make horizontal lines horizontal.

✓ Angle: Straightens the image.

✓ Scale: Enlarges the image. The one caveat here is that unlike trans-

forming the image in the main window, you lose whatever extends

beyond the dialog box preview window. In other words, it crops after it

enlarges. For this reason, I never use Scale. (I show it in this example,

however, so you can compare with the previous image and see the

overall effect of the transformation.)

To illustrate the effect, Figure 11-21 shows what happens when you add

vignetting. If your images come out of tone mapping like this, correct it here.

Not all vignetting is bad — some can look artistic. Notice, too, barrel and ver-

tical distortion are corrected, the grid lines are off, and the image was scaled

upward a bit to make it appear full-screen.



Figure 11-21: Vignetting.

Solving Color and Saturation ProblemsWhen you shoot color photographs, it stands to reason that you’ll occasion-

ally run into color problems — in fact, a lot of the time. I can’t discuss all the

different ways to address color in Photoshop Elements (and other programs)

here. However, I want to show a few common problems and possible solu-

tions (note the terminology — you can often use one of several techniques

successfully).

OversaturationOversaturation means having too much color. It’s too intense. Most often,

you’ll see this reflected in a general hue, such as purple or red. The left panel

of Figure 11-22 illustrates the base of a lamppost at sunset. It’s got far too

much red in it.

Adjust oversaturation by choosing Enhance➪Adjust Color➪Adjust Hue/

Saturation. From the Hue/Saturation dialog box, choose the problem color

from the drop-down list (it defaults to Master) and then reduce the satura-

tion until the color looks right, as shown in the right panel of Figure 11-22.

Did you notice that the sunset doesn’t look as good after the desaturation?

Use the blending techniques to isolate the desaturated area to the lamppost.



Figure 11-22: Selective desaturation solves the problem.

Color castsColor cast is a type of color problem that happens a lot, and you might not

even be aware of it. There are several ways to combat the problem: Levels

(to adjust white balance), removing color cast, and photo filters.

The left panel of Figure 11-23 shows a tile wall where the color is off —

the whites are too warm. Use Levels to correct the white balance. Choose

Enhance➪Adjust Lighting➪Levels. In the Levels dialog box, as shown in the

right panel of Figure 11-23, click the right-most eyedropper and click some-

thing in the image that should be white. What was not white automatically

becomes white (theoretically, it’s a little like playing the lottery sometimes).

Figure 11-23: Correcting white balance with Levels.



That one was obvious. The next example (Figure 11-24) isn’t. In the top-

left panel of the figure, the ceiling should be white. It isn’t. In this case, try

Enhance➪Adjust Color➪Remove Color Cast. From the dialog box that opens,

click to select a black, gray, or white object in the photo.

That part takes a bit of trial and error. Try clicking different places of the

image until you get the right color. You can see the result in the top-right

panel of the figure here.

The next example shows the power of photo filters. You can use them to cool

or warm an image. The left panel in Figure 11-25 (all these are tone mapped

HDR images, by the way) is too warm. In other words, it looks too yellow-red.

As a fix, choose Filter➪Adjustments➪Photo Filter to try out photo filters.

The options in the Photo Filter dialog box (the right panel of the figure) are

pretty intuitive: Choose a filter type based on the description or a solid color

and then choose a density to apply to the filter. In this case, I applied a cool-

ing filter (visually, blues cool and reds warm an image) and tinkered with the

density to get the right strength. The result looks pretty good.

Figure 11-24: Automatically remove the color cast.



Figure 11-25: Using photo filters.

Levels and LightnessIf you have brightness problems,

use Levels as a good way to

brighten or darken an image.

Figure 11-26 shows a scene that

came out of tone mapping a bit

too dark. Not to worry. You don’t

have to fret over problems like

this in tone mapping because you

have a good chance of fixing them

in editing.

Choose Enhance➪Adjust Lighting➪Levels to open the Levels dialog

box, as shown in Figure 11-27. To

lighten an image, drag the white

triangle under the main histogram

(the graph) to the left, as shown.

To darken an image, drag the black

triangle to the right. Drag the gray

triangle to move midtones up (dark-

ens) or down (lightens).

Figure 11-26: A dark stairway.



Figure 11-27: Brightening with Levels.

You can achieve very similar results

by using a simpler method of adjust-

ing brightness and contrast from

the Brightness/Contrast dialog

box (Enhance➪Adjust Lighting➪Brightness and Contrast). Just use

the two sliders there, as shown in

Figure 11-28. The downside of this

approach is that it lightens or

darkens every pixel, which may or

may not be what you want.

Smoothing Rough SpotsRough spots (see Figure 11-29) happen in tone mapping when you have

motion that oscillates. This is most obvious in plants, trees, and water, where

subtle back-and-forth movement is captured by bracketed exposures.

Figure 11-28: Brighten and add contrast.



You can’t correct rough spots

while you generate the HDR image

or during tone mapping. I find the

best solution is to smooth these

areas as I edit. I do this at the point

in my workflow where I would other-

wise clone.

Here’s how to smooth these spots to

make them less distracting:

1. Duplicate the layer you want to

make the adjustment on.

See Chapter 10 for my rationale

on working with different layers.

2. Zoom in to see the problem

closely.

3. Select the Blur tool.

This tool looks like a water droplet and is located with the Sharpen and

Smudge tools, near the bottom of the toolbar.

4. Adjust tool characteristics.

Set the size and strength to fit the nature of the problem.

5. Brush the problem area.

Use the Blur tool to brush the edges of the rough spot to blend it in with

the surroundings.

6. Continue working with your image.

Turning Your Images Loose: PublishingPublishing or printing your photo is the final step in the HDR process. Snap

on your chinstrap, fire up Elements, and get going:

1. (Optional) Enter file info by choosing File➪File Info and entering any

file and copyright information you wish. Then save the final working

copy as a Photoshop Elements (.psd) file.

2. Choose File➪Duplicate to create an identical copy of the Photoshop

file, and then close the original.

This step is for safety so that you don’t accidentally save and overwrite

the layered Photoshop file and lose all your work.

Figure 11-29: Rough tone mapping spots.



3. Make sure the right layers are visible, and then choose Layer➪Flatten Image.

4. Save the image as a high-resolution TIFF by choosing File➪Save As.

For archival and printing purposes, save the image as a high-resolution

(that is, unresized) TIFF. I always append the term -final to these

TIFFs so that I can differentiate them from the tone mapped images that

come from Photomatix Pro. Accept the default save settings unless you

have reasons for changing them.

If you want to print your image, send this TIFF to a commercial photo

printer or print the image on your own home printer.

5. If you want to create a JPEG to post on the Web, resize the image by

choosing Image➪Resize➪Image Size.

Although you can jump ahead to Step 11 and choose File➪Save for Web,

that routine is not optimized for large files, and you will get a warning to

that effect. I find it best if I resize at this point.

6. In the Image Size dialog box (shown in Figure 11-30), select the

Resample Image check box if it isn’t already checked.

7. Select a resampling method

from the drop-down list at the

bottom of the dialog box:

• Nearest Neighbor: Preserves hard edges.

This definitely does what

it says. Pay careful atten-

tion when you use this

method. Examine the

edges at 100% magnifi-

cation to look for any

jaggedness from the

sharp edges.

• Bilinear: A good method.

The colors are good, and

the image is smooth. You

lose a bit of sharpness,

however.

• Bicubic: Best for smooth gradients. Similar results to Bilinear but a

bit sharper.

• Bicubic Smoother: Best if you’re enlarging the image. When reducing,

this method looks almost indistinguishable from plain ’ol Bicubic.

• Bicubic Sharper: Best if you’re reducing the image size. Distinctly

sharper than all the other methods. Use this method or sharpen

after you reduce the image to its final size to preserve the effects.

Figure 11-30: Preparing to resize.



8. In the Pixel Dimensions section, select Pixels from the Width and

Height drop-down lists, and enter new pixel dimensions in the Width

text box. Then click OK.

If the Constrain Proportions check box is selected, you need to enter

only one dimension, and the other will automatically be calculated and

set by Elements.

For moderately sized Web galleries, 800 pixels is a good width to start

with. If you want something larger, head on up toward 1024 pixels wide.

(If your photo is in portrait orientation, enter the dimension in the

Height text box instead.)

9. (Optional) Add a text or graphic watermark.

If you have a watermark to copyright your work, add it as a layer now.

I put my name in the bottom-right corner of the image. I set up a helper

file that has my name already entered, complete with a green block to

help me align it (see Figure 11-31). I open this image and drag the layers

(they are linked) to the HDR image, as shown in the figure. I then close

the helper file and reposition the name to the corner. I then hide or

delete the green block (green so I can see that it’s there very easily)

later. If you want your watermark to be less obvious, reduce its opacity.

Figure 11-31: Add a watermark as a layer.



Elements doesn’t let you create embedded watermarks unless you use

the File➪Process Multiple Files workaround.

Do not apply a watermark to your high-resolution final TIFF (created in

Step 4). Save watermarking as one of the last steps before publishing so

you can customize the size of the mark to your final output size.

10. (Optional) Add a frame or other decorative elements.

An easy way to add a border is to choose Image➪Resize➪Canvas Size.

In the Canvas Size dialog box, select the Relative check box, enter

how much to extend the canvas in the New Size section (each side is

increased by half the number you enter, totaling the full amount), and

then select a color from the Canvas Extension Color drop-down list.

Click OK. I do this step twice — first, I add a 4 pixel (px) increase with

white, and then a 2px increase in black.

11. Choose File➪Save for Web.

If you want all the EXIF data preserved, choose File➪Save As, choose the

JPEG file format, and then click Save. At the next dialog box, enter the

quality you want (you can probably leave the other options alone) and

click OK.

In the Save for Web dialog box (shown in Figure 11-32), follow these

steps:

a. Select JPEG High from the Preset drop-down list.

b. Select a percentage from the Quality drop-down list. A lower per-

centage makes the file smaller (see the preview window for the

estimated size given the current settings) but at the cost of quality.

Select a higher percentage for, you guessed it, higher quality. The

cost is a larger file size.

c. Zoom in (use the Zoom drop-down list in the bottom-left corner) to see whether the quality you chose works. I find that 80 is a good

compromise. If you want no compromises, select 100.

d. Select the ICC Profile check box to save the image with the color pro-file embedded. This is preferred because it gives a Web browser or

other application the information it needs to accurately render the

colors contained in the image.

12. When you’re ready, click OK. Choose a location and name; then

click Save.

13. Close the TIFF without saving it.

This is important. Do not to save the TIFF. After all, you resized it.

If you make a mistake and overwrite it, you can go back to your

Photoshop Elements file and re-create the TIFF. I’m a backup-to-the-

backup kind of guy.



Figure 11-32: This JPEG was made for savin’.


Part IVHaving Fun with

HDR Images


In this part . . .

Brackets? Check. HDR? Check. Tone mapping? Check. Are you done? Not quite. This part is

about having some extra fun with your HDR images.

Chapter 12 shows you how to work around the limitations of your camera and create ultra-wide panoramas in HDR. You fi nd out how to break the scene up into pieces, photograph them, then turn the separate shots into bona-fi de HDR images and stitch them together to create a seamless compos-ite. Chapter 13 shows you several ways to turn a color image into black and white. Although it might sound goofy — taking color photos with a digital camera to turn into HDR images only to take the color out — it’s actually a great way to showcase some of your photos and create power-ful, dramatic shots. You also see how to colorize a black-and-white image to make it look old, odd, or just awesome.


12Creating Panor-Ahhh-Mas

In This Chapter▶ Photographing HDR panoramas

▶ Processing the darned things

▶ Sewing the frames together in Elements

Find some room to move around. This chapter starts out a bit like an

aerobics class.

Look straight ahead and stretch your arms straight in front of you. Keeping

them straight, pull your arms back (like opening a double door) until you

can’t see them anymore. Still looking straight ahead, bring your arms back

forward until they just come back into your field of vision. Keeping your arms

in position, look to the left and right to see where they are. This

exercise (pun intended) shows you what human eyes see pan-

oramically, which is a pretty wide angle of view — about

120 degrees or so, including peripheral vision. However,

unless you’re working with a wide or ultra-wide angle

lens, this isn’t what a camera sees, so photos don’t

come close to this.

So how can you create panoramas? No need for

fancy equipment. With any lens you have in your

kit (even compact digital or super-zoom cameras

work well for panoramas, as long as you can use

them for HDR), you can create a single wide-angle

image by merging multiple frames. Akin to HDR,

you take more than one photo of a scene to create a

single final image. Panoramas and HDR go well together:

Panorama techniques extend your angle of view, and

HDR captures a greater dynamic range of the scene. And this

chapter is dedicated to helping you create exciting HDR panoramas,

whether indoors or out.


250 Part IV: Having Fun with HDR Images

Shooting Panoramas in HDRShooting a panorama in HDR is the same as shooting a traditional panorama

except that you take three to five times the number of photos. This takes into

account brackets for each section of the panorama. You process the results

as HDR images and then tone map them before you stitch the whole thing

together as a panoramic view.

The best way to start is to start:

1. Select a scene and configure your camera to shoot brackets for HDR.

Have a look at Chapters 4 and 5 for more information or if your memory

needs refreshed.

Use whatever bracketing method your camera supports and that you’re

comfortable with. You might not be able to use certain auto modes,

depending on your camera. (See the next step.)

You could conceivably shoot single-exposure HDR, but if you’re going to

the trouble to set up a tripod (which you should) to shoot a panorama,

you might as well go the whole mile and shoot the brackets, too. The

exception to this might be scenes with moving subjects.

2. Tweak specific settings for panoramas.

Ideally, you want your camera in completely

manual mode (so white balance, focus, and

the center exposure for the brackets don’t

change willy-nilly), but this isn’t always

possible. At a minimum, try these tweaks:

• White balance: Take white balance

off Auto and set it to the conditions

(sunlight, cloudy, and so on). This

way, it won’t change from one frame to

another even if the lighting is different.

You want consistency across the entire

panorama.

• Focus: Switch to manual focus to

maintain a consistent depth of field

(the focal point won’t move to and fro

within the scene). Using auto focus can

easily change from one frame of the

panorama to the next; that’s bad.

3. Mount and level your camera on a tripod.


251 Chapter 12: Creating Panor-Ahhh-Mas

Don’t skip the leveling. You want your camera to rotate about an axis

that is as true to vertical as you can get it. Rotate your camera and

check that it stays level when you point it in a different direction.

4. Determine your framing strategy.

Most people rush this step and just start shooting photos. Relax and

take a few minutes to plan this. At a minimum, try for three frames.

Center the subject of the panorama in the center frame, making sure to

always have good overlap. If you need more than three frames and have

a strong subject, center the subject as best you can in one frame and

shoot the same number of frames on each side, balancing the panorama.

Overlap shouldn’t be a problem with this scenario — you’ll have plenty.

As you can see from Figure 12-1, the number of frames you need

depends on the angle of view of your lens and the scene at hand. Wide

and ultra-wide angle lenses require fewer shots to capture the same

scene compared with lenses of longer focal lengths. In my example, the

magic number of frames is four.

Important: Try to overlap each frame by about one-third, as seen in

Figure 12-2. Overlap helps the panorama program stitch (assemble)

the frames by providing good reference points. The more reference

points, the greater the possibility of a successful stitch in your assembly

software.

Frame 2 Frame 4

Frame 1 Frame 3

Figure 12-1: Envisioning a framing strategy.



Frame overlap

Figure 12-2: Plan for plenty of overlap.

5. Check the alignment of each shot.

This can be a dry run where you don’t take the photos, or you can go

ahead and shoot them. Doesn’t really matter. The important part is

checking out landmarks that help you identify the boundaries of your

frames and how much overlap you’ll get.

As you can see from Figure 12-3, trees make outstanding landmarks.

In fact, anything that stands out from the background — and vertical

objects seem to work best — serves as a landmark.

If you have a tripod with a compass, you can make a note of the reading

for the center point of each frame.

Take a few meter readings along the way to see whether exposure

varies from one side of the panorama to the other. HDR is more forgiv-

ing than single-exposure panoramas because of the brackets (the point

of HDR, really).

Make sure you capture as much dynamic range of the scene as possible

while not blowing out any highlights. Decide on a final exposure. If in

extreme doubt, shoot a bracketed panorama with one central exposure

(the 0.0 EV point); then capture another with different settings.



6. Pan to the right-most frame and double-check the exposure.

Landmarks

Figure 12-3: Look for landmarks to identify frame boundaries.

Sure, you can start on the left if you want. There is no technical reason

to shoot one way over another except personal preference. You can

try to shoot the center frame first and then move left and right, but it’s

more natural to shoot left-to-right or right-to-left.

Make sure the exposure you decided on is dialed in and set.

I recommend shooting in Manual mode so the camera can’t change the

exposure. If you’re in a semi-auto or automatic mode, the camera can

change settings every time you check exposure.

7. Shoot the first bracketed set (see Figure 12-4).

Figure 12-4: The first bracketed panorama frame.



8. Pan to the next frame and shoot another bracketed set (see Figure 12-5).

Figure 12-5: The second bracketed panorama frame.

9. Pan to the next frame and shoot another bracketed set (see Figure 12-6).

Figure 12-6: The third bracketed panorama frame.

10. If necessary, continue shooting frames to complete the panorama.

Figure 12-7 shows the fourth and final set of brackets for this panorama.

Figure 12-7: The final bracketed panorama frame.

Figure 12-8 shows the final, tone mapped panorama.



Going the extra mileShooting panoramas is a whole ’nother world with its own set of specialized gear and tech-niques. If you’re not shooting professionally, you don’t really need to worry about the differences between casual and professional panoramas. If you want the most professional results and the highest quality images, however, here are a few things you should do to up your game.

First, buy a dedicated panorama tripod head, which moves the axis of rotation from some-where in the camera body (where the screw goes in using a normal tripod head) to a point that is the optical center of the lens. There is confusion about what this point is called: the no-parallax point, the entrance pupil, or the nodal point.

Shooting frames that revolve around the no-parallax point reduces or eliminates parallax (a visual side effect where nearby objects move in

relation to far objects between frames, like your finger moves against the background when you look at it with one eye, and then the other). You have to dial in this point by taking test shots and moving the camera forward or backward in the panorama head mount.

You can also change the orientation of your camera to vertical (portrait). This is easier to do on some tripod heads than others, but it’s a breeze if you have a panorama head. The ben-efit of shooting portrait panoramas is having more photo to use after you stitch the images. You will be sure to capture enough area so that when you crop the final image, you won’t be forced to make incredibly painful decisions on what to lose. The downside is that you’ll have to shoot more frames from left to right, but that’s easier than shooting two rows or wider frames to capture the same area.

Figure 12-8: The completed panorama.



Processing Panoramas As HDRTaking the photos is only the first part of creating a panorama. Now you need

to process your shots as HDR images.

You can, of course, do this the hard way — prepare and tone map all your

brackets manually. Depending on how many frames and brackets you have,

that might take some time. Conservatively, you should have three frames

of three brackets each (nine images). As a time-saver, take advantage of as

much automated processing as possible.

Developing Raw photos in bulkNot every Raw editor can process Raw photos automatically: Sony Image

Data Converter, for example. Some, like Adobe Camera Raw, enable you to

open all the images into the interface at once and apply one setting to every

image. Much better.

If you use Adobe Lightroom or Apple Aperture (see Figure 12-9, where I have

selected three random photos of hash browns to illustrate this concept),

you can select multiple Raw files and export them as TIFFs, or use the Quick

Develop tool in Lightroom as a pseudo-batch processor before you export.

Figure 12-9: Exporting hash browns for breakfast.



Other applications, like Nikon Capture NX 2, have full-featured batch routines

that make it possible to process every exposure in an HDR panorama with-

out opening them all up. Batch-processing Raw images is also addressed in

Chapter 9.

To ease the processing burden on your computer, convert Raw photos to

8-bit TIFFs or JPEGs. Yes, you’ll suffer a bit of a quality hit, but if the photos

are well taken, it won’t be noticeable with the 8-bit TIFF — and JPEGs might

look fine, too.

Creating an HDR master frameThe most efficient way to proceed with HDR is to create a master, tone

mapped frame and use that as the template to process the other frames

of the panorama in HDR. (HDR and tone mapping information is more fully

covered in Chapters 7–9.) After you create the master frame, you have the

settings you need to plug into your HDR application’s batch routine. This

also ensures consistency across the

panorama. You don’t want to use one

set of HDR options and tone mapping

settings for one frame of the pan-

orama and a completely different set

for the next.

Thankfully, creating a master frame is

exactly like generating an HDR image

from normal brackets and tone map-

ping it in your HDR application. Figure

12-10 illustrates creating the master

frame HDR image. This is used to tone

map the master frame — which can

then be discarded. The only reason to

do this is to get the settings you want

in a file.

Next, tone map the master frame.

This is necessary to find what set-

tings you want applied to the entire

panorama. Then save the settings.

Mac users: Save your tone map-

ping settings when you save the file.

This takes an extra step. Windows

users can check a box on the Save As

dialog box and have Photomatix Pro

always save the settings with the file

(very handy, that is). Figure 12-10: Create the HDR master frame image.



Batch-processing the restWith your master frame completed, batch-process the rest of the panorama.

Here’s how in Photomatix Pro, after you process your Raw images (if neces-

sary; discussed earlier) and then create and tone map the master frame (as

shown earlier and in Chapters 7–9). Your goal is a settings file that can be used

during batch processing. You don’t even need to save the tone mapped image.

1. Organize the source images in a new folder.

You can use JPEGs, 8-bit TIFFS, or 16-bit TIFFs. It’s up to you. I find it

easiest to identify an entire folder to perform batch processing on. This

keeps things separate so you’re assured of processing the images you

want and not others. And I always keep original Raw photos in a safe

place, well away from Raw editors and HDR applications.

2. Create a destination folder.

3. In Photomatix Pro in the Workflow Shortcuts window (this window

should automatically appear when you run Photomatix Pro), click the

Batch Processing button.

You use the Batch Processing of Differently Exposed Images dialog box

to enter all the information required to automatically create the HDR

and tone map all the images for your panorama. Pretty cool.

See Chapter 9 for detailed steps to batch-process the images for your

panorama.

4. Select the Tone Map with Details Enhancer check box and then click

the Settings button.

You’re presented

with a tone mapping

settings dialog box.

5. Although you can

enter the settings

manually, click

the Load button;

in the Load Tone

Mapping Settings

from and XMP File

dialog box, select

the master frame

tone mapping set-

tings XMP file, and

then click the Load

button, as shown in

Figure 12-11.Figure 12-11: Select the saved master frame tone mapping settings.



This is where creating the master frame tone mapping settings file

pays off.

The rest of the steps to batch-process images are identical to those

given in Chapter 9.

Figure 12-12 shows the final panorama, edited and cropped. You can see from

this figure how important it is to have the same settings applied to each frame

of the panorama. Otherwise, you would easily be able to tell where one frame

ends and the other begins. Your goal, after all, is seamlessness.

Figure 12-12: This nice line of trees is actually in a semi-circle.

Stitching the Elements TogetherTime to stitch the tone mapped images. Panoramas don’t just merge them-

selves, you know. You need to use specialized software algorithingamajigs to

combine separate images into a cohesive whole. Photoshop Elements offers

Photomerge, and Photoshop has a very similar capability (coincidentally,

also called Photomerge — maybe the lawyers should look into that).

Stitching in Photoshop ElementsStitching panoramas together in Photoshop Elements isn’t that hard. You

might need a few run-throughs before you get totally comfortable with it, but

it’s mostly automated.

Elements is a little goofy when it comes to working with 16-bit images. If you

open tone mapped files that are 16 bits per channel, Elements prompts you

to convert the bit depth before you begin. However, Photomerge gets stuck

after the first image and refuses to continue opening and stitching images

together (no matter how many times you curse at it), so it’s rather pointless.

Instead, open 16-bit images in Elements and convert them to 8 bits (when

you save them, consider renaming the files if you want to preserve the 16-bit

images for some other purpose), or save the tone mapped images as 8-bit

JPEGs or TIFFs directly from your HDR application.



After you have all the brackets you want to stitch together into a panorama

saved as 8-bit images, follow these steps:

1. Open Photoshop Elements and start Photomerge by choosing File➪New➪Photomerge Panorama.

As Figure 12-13 shows, the Photomerge dialog box appears, beckoning

you toward panoramic greatness.

Figure 12-13: The Photomerge dialog box.

2. Click the Browse button, and in the Open dialog box that appears,

browse to the folder containing the tone mapped frames of the pan-

orama, select them, and then click OK.

The Open dialog box closes, and the selected files appear in a new,

untitled image document as a stitched panorama.

3. Choose a layout by selecting one of the radio buttons in the Layout

section of the Photomerge dialog box.

• Auto: You’re telling Elements to go for it, allowing it to choose

between Perspective and Cylindrical layouts.

• Perspective: The center of the panorama remains unchanged, and

the outer areas are distorted so that horizontal lines parallel to the

ground remain parallel to the ground.



The major side effect of this layout is the “bow-tie effect,” in which

the center of the panorama looks normal, but the corners are heav-

ily distorted. You lose this area when you crop the final image.

Figure 12-14 shows what happens when perspective goes bad. This

is how you know to choose another method. Elements can’t prop-

erly configure this panorama as a perspective.

Figure 12-14: Won’t you take me to (daah, da dat) (wait for it) Funky Town?

• Cylindrical: This projection eliminates the bow-tie effect on the cor-

ners and results in a panorama where the corners aren’t distorted up

and out. In fact, the corners are allowed to do the opposite — that is,

creep in. Figure 12-15 shows that the sky can balloon up. Everything

that isn’t a nice, tidy rectangle gets cropped out at the end.

• Reposition Only: This layout aligns each frame (based again on

matching reference points) but does not transform them in any way.

This option, contrary to what you might think (we often fall prey

to the notion that correcting for perspective is always better),

can produce very good-looking panoramas that do not suffer from

undue amounts of distortion. Figure 12-16 illustrates this layout in

action. Overall, it looks good, but the horizon looks too wavy to

me. I favor Cylindrical for this panorama.



Figure 12-15: Ah, that’s better.

Figure 12-16: Repo-sition, man.

• Interactive Layout: This is the do-it-yourself option, as shown

in Figure 12-17. Elements opens a lightbox with your panorama

stitched for you (the images it can do so automatically, at any

rate), and gives you the control to override the existing layout.

You can zoom in and out, click and drag frames to reposition them,

rotate individual frames, and change the settings from Reposition



Only to Perspective. If you select the Perspective radio button, you

can even set the Vanishing Point of the image.

Figure 12-17: Laying it out in the lightbox.

4. Click OK.

Elements aligns and processes the images and eventually creates the

panorama as a new image. Each frame occupies a separate layer, with

portions masked (hidden) to blend together well. Note: This is one of the

few times Elements allows you to work with masks.

5. Save your panorama!

I find it best to save the raw panorama as a Photoshop file (.psd) now

for future reference before I tweak frame blending and make other

adjustments. Then I save the finalized panorama image as a separate file.

Blending the frames with layer masksBlending allows you to tweak how Elements masked the different layers and

then stitched them to create the composite image. This process is useful if

something looks better on one frame of the panorama but that spot has been

masked by Elements in favor of the same spot in another frame that doesn’t

look as good. This requires some playing around.

Masks in Photoshop Elements (and other image editors) make certain pixels

transparent on a layer, allowing what’s on the next layer down to show

through. Look ahead to Figure 12-18 and check out the Layers palette — the

black and white blobs are the masks on those layers. The black parts are



transparent (so you see through to the layer underneath), and the white

parts are “solid.” The great thing about masks is that you can use grays to

make the corresponding parts of that layer partially transparent, which for

this chapter means that you can create smooth blending of the transitions

between frames of the panorama. (Chapter 10 goes into more detail about

using masks and layers for blending in HDR images.)

If you see a strong border where there is a mask, soften it by smoothing the

mask edge. Or, if you like something on a layer that’s masked (a tree looks

better in one frame than another, for example), unmask the better tree and

mask over the tree in the other frames. It takes some practice to get the hang of

it because you’re working in three dimensions. Where layers overlap each

other, you can choose which layer you want to see by virtue of layer order and

masking — just follow these steps:

1. Find the areas that don’t look quite right, and click the Eye icon to

show and hide the layers to see where the borders are.

Hint: You can erase

or paint black or

white onto the mask

to enlarge, shrink, or

soften it.

Figure 12-18 shows

a border that looks

like trouble. You

can see the edge

between one frame

and the next. This is

a prime candidate

for blending.

2. Click the layer mask

you want to work

with in the Layers

palette.

Make sure you select

the mask — not the

image. The mask has a

white highlight around it when you secure

it, as shown in Figure 12-19.

3. Click the small white-over-black box

under the main color swatches to select

the default foreground and background

colors — then switch them by clicking

the color-swap arrows above the back-

ground color swatch.

Figure 12-18: This border needs a-blending.



Oddly enough, Elements 8

swapped these so that the

default foreground is black and

background is white. Ugh.

This sets the foreground color to

white and the background color

to black — colors you’ll see when

you start painting or erasing.

4. Select a tool (such as the Brush

tool) to paint the mask. Paint

with black (making those parts

transparent) or white (making

those parts solid).

You can also use the Eraser tool

if you don’t like switching between black and white. In Figure 12-20, I’m

using the Eraser tool with a soft brush tip selected (which is important

to keep the edges from being too harsh) to better blend it with the layer

beneath. You might find it helpful to reduce the Opacity setting to 50%

or so to avoid abrupt changes in tone.

Figure 12-20: Smooth a border by adjusting the mask.

Figure 12-19: Selecting the top layer mask.



Cropping the finalized imageCropping is a final step in creating your panorama, so you want to make sure

you finish other edits first: Blend the transitions, sharpen, correct the color,

improve contrast, reduce noise, and so on.

This workflow preserves your options longer. If you crop first, you’re stuck

with it. If you want to go back and crop the panorama in a different way, you

have to perform all the edits again to get back to the same place. So I recom-

mend that you first make all your edits, and then save the panorama as a

working Photoshop Elements file. After you crop, save the image again (with

a new name and type) as a final file to publish: for example, as a JPEG if you

want to publish the image on the Web, or as a TIFF if you want to print it.

To crop your panorama, follow these steps:

1. Zoom out to see the entire panorama.

2. Select the Crop tool, and drag a border around the area you want to

keep.

Figure 12-21 shows the crop box positioned over the bottom part of the

panorama. Unfortunately, there’s not much that can be done to rescue

transparent areas. Cropping panoramas is a fact of life.

3. Zoom in to see more precisely and then adjust the crop borders to

weed out any transparent pixels.

Figure 12-21: Positioning the crop box.



Figure 12-22 shows the bottom-left corner of the panorama at high magni-

fication. The light areas show where the rough crop box was. I am moving

it into the image so the crop box won’t have any transparent pixels.

4. Click the check mark (refer to Figure 12-21) to apply the crop.

Figure 12-23 shows the finished, cropped, panorama.

Figure 12-22: Fine-tuning the crop.

Figure 12-23: The finished image.



Love panoramas? Check out PTGui!PTGui (www.ptgui.com; $120 for the more basic version and $200 for PTGui Pro) is a pow-erful all-in-one panorama application, dedicated to supporting specialized panorama features, such as customizable control points and sig-nificantly more projection types as Photoshop Elements. (See the following figure.) If you want to control just about every conceivable part of the panorama process and are considering displaying or selling your panoramas profes-sionally, PTGui is for you. PTGui allows you to enter information about the camera and lens,

and enables you to edit the stitched-together frames in the Panorama Editor. PTGui gives you lots of options on controlling how the panorama looks, how the frames fit together, and how they’re aligned.

PTGui has a developed following and robust support system on the Web. If you’re serious about creating HDR panoramas, download either or both trial versions and have a closer look for yourself. The Pro version even has its own HDR and tone mapping features.


13Going Old School with Black-and-White HDR

In This Chapter▶ Seeing in black and white

▶ Converting color to black and white

▶ Using Photoshop to supercharge your black and white in HDR

▶ Colorizing black-and-white images

HDR in black and white? I can hear the exclamations from here. Why go

to all that trouble to photograph multiple brackets of a scene, lovingly

tone map it, and then throw away all that hard-earned color data? Why,

for heaven’s sake, take a modern digital camera with more com-

puting power in it than the Apollo moon program and go so

freakishly retro? Why? You’re just fooling yourself! You

take the photo in color, generate the HDR in color, tone

map it in color, and then pretend to create a black-

and-white “photograph.” It’s all nonsense!

Yes. Yes. Yes, and yes. It is.

Black-and-white HDR photography is a lot like love.

Yes, love. You can rarely explain it, and it’s hardly

logical. I love thee, because thou satisfiest the ratio-

nal in me. Pshaw. Black-and-white HDR photography

satisfies the creative artist bent on love in all of us.

We love it because it is, and that’s what this chapter is

about: describing it a bit, and then showing you how to

turn your HDR photos into spectacular black and white.



Seeing That Special SomethingIn general, you should convert an HDR photo to black and white for the

same reasons you would convert any other photo. Those reasons boil down

to aesthetics (it looks cool and makes a statement in black and white) or

solving color problems (color has problems, so maybe black and white looks

better). The difference is how the HDR tone mapping process gives you

more to work with from the outset. You’ll have more contrast, more tone —

more of everything — leaving you with a more interesting and powerful

black-and-white image.

Analyze the photos in this section and see whether you agree with me that

these images work as black and white as well or better than as color HDR.

Hopefully, you’ll see why you should even bother because converting photos

to black and white is another step to incorporate into your workflow.

Emphasizing contrastHDR photography excels at emphasizing contrast — and not just in color but

in black and white, too. Black-and-white photos are beautiful studies in con-

trast. With color removed from the photo, your eyes tune in to differences

between black and white or light and dark much more readily. The result is a

new and pleasing perspective.

Figure 13-1 is just such a case. The color photo, an interesting study in HDR,

has a number of elements that pull your eyes away from the study of con-

trast: the inside, outside, the man sitting at the far end of the pavilion, picnic

tables, and green of the trees versus the browns and grays inside. However,

the same photo converted to black and white is a concentrated study in con-

trast. HDR accentuates details that make contrast more interesting, but the

black-and-white conversion removes distractions.

Six degrees of black and whiteOf the many ways to create black-and-white HDR, whatever method you choose and when you employ it depends on the applications you use and how much effort you want to put into it. Having said that, you can create pretty good results quickly and easily in most programs. So, all the fuss in this chapter comes down to degree.

In general, you’ll achieve the best results (and the greatest power to control the outcome) if you use Photoshop, Lightroom, or another appli-cation that allows you to individually tweak the black and white tones.


271 Chapter 13: Going Old School with Black-and-White HDR

Figure 13-1: The black-and-white version tells the story of contrast.

Reveling in toneSome people live in a world of color. Things are azul, rojo, amarillo, anara-

njado, morado, or verde (a little Spanish there for ya). Tone isn’t that black

and white. Tone, in fact, is a world with nuanced shades of gray. Figure 13-2 is

a tough one. The color version of this shot is good with the chrome, the blue

sky, and rusty dump truck. The part of this photo is boring (the color of the

car) and lost in a sea of other details.



Figure 13-2: Tones rock black-and-white photos.

In black and white, however, the story gels and becomes much more concen-

trated. It’s not about color anymore, but about the different levels of tone.

These different components that make up the scene are no longer disjointed —

thrown together by circumstance. They fit in a cohesive whole in black and

white and tell a singular story.



Solving color problemsSometimes color HDR photos just don’t look good. For whatever reason, Figure

13-3, a single-exposure HDR image, is such a case. The color version, as you

can see, just isn’t that interesting, even in HDR. The objects that draw your

eyes are the line of green trees and the color markings on the Mustang. The

clouds and tarmac aren’t captivating, and the aircraft itself is unremarkable.

In black and white, though, the photo explodes with interesting tones. The

clouds and concrete are more interesting, and the silver of the plane has a

gorgeous tone that was hidden in color. The color was removed, therefore,

and replaced with shades of gray. The difference is astounding.

Figure 13-3: Black and white can solve color issues.



Focusing on the subject Black-and-white photos sometimes have the effect of bringing you closer to

the subject of the photo. Depending on how you process it, you can accentu-

ate certain elements by lightening them, or reduce their importance by dark-

ening them. In Figure 13-4, the color HDR image suffers from an overly busy

background that pulls attention off the subject (the tree and park bench). In

the black-and-white version, though, the sky is darker and areas of the tree

lighter. This pulls attention to the front-center of the photo and allows your

eyes to explore the simple setting. Now the background is more appropri-

ately background.

Figure 13-4: This subject stands out better in black and white.

Converting Early in the HDR ProcessOne option to create black-and-white HDR images is to convert your color

photos to black and white before using them to generate the HDR image. You

have two options to choose from if this is the direction you want to go in:

✓ Convert during Raw conversion.

✓ Convert during tone mapping.



Using a Raw editorIf you convert during Raw conversion, you must shoot your images and

brackets in Raw and be prepared to convert them to black and white in your

favorite Raw converter. Depending on the strength of the application you

use, you can have more or less control over the process.

If you shoot using JPEGs only, these methods (as they pertain to Raw photos)

are not applicable to you.

Here are a few examples of the options you might have:

✓ Desaturation: This method certainly works, but you have no control over

toning. Photoshop Elements (via Adobe Camera Raw) and certain Raw edi-

tors (such as the Sony Image Data Converter)

offer this option. Sometimes, the only way to

convert a photo to black and white is to com-

pletely desaturate it (in addition to altering its

contrast, sharpness, and so forth).

✓ Cameraesque presets: Nikon’s Capture NX 2 has handy presets that

enable you to convert a color photo to black and white. Choose a

camera preset with filter (green, red, and so in) from the Color Mode

drop-down list in the Picture Control palette, as shown in Figure 13-5.

You can also convert Raw photos using New Additional Adjustments in

NX 2 (at the bottom of the Edit List panel).

Apple Aperture works the same way but also allows for a level of custom

control.

Marching ordersIf you’re wondering what order to do things in — you know, should you convert to black and white before or after you sharpen? Before or after you increase contrast? Before or after you transform, resize, reshape? — here’s my strategy. I tend to create the best color image I can, complete with sharpening, noise reduc-tion, cloning, and any other adjustments I want to make. It’s done. Then I move to black and white. This way, if I decide I don’t like how the

black-and-white image turned out, I don’t have to do everything all over again. I just pick up the finished color image and go back to the black-and-white drawing board.

Your mileage may vary, but I have to think that all the obsession over creating the per-fect workflow is often overrated from a quality perspective. Use the workflow that preserves quality, but also time.



Figure 13-5: Choosing black and white presets.

✓ Robust black-and-white toning: Applications such as Photoshop and

Adobe Lightroom both contain extensive black-and-white conversion

routines. These are covered more fully later in the chapter, but you can

see the Lightroom interface active in Figure 13-6. I am using the Develop

tab to convert a Nikon Raw image to black and white.

Figure 13-6: More controls for a custom conversion.



If you want to convert your bracketed photos to black and white before

processing them as HDR, apply the exact same settings to all images. This

ensures a consistent conversion.

Desaturating while you tone mapYou may also (depending on the options of your HDR application) convert an

HDR image to black and white while you tone map. Conversion using a stan-

dard color saturation control is very simple. Reduce it to 0 and you’re done, as

shown in Figure 13-7. Photomatix Pro has a few saturation options (different

controls for highlights and shadows), but overall color intensity is controlled

by the Color Saturation setting. Setting it to 0 turns the image to grayscale.

Figure 13-7: Desaturating in the HDR application.

Try tone mapping the color image until you reach the effect you’re after, and

then reduce saturation to 0 to convert it to black and white. Alternatively,

reduce Color Saturation to 0 first; then manipulate the other settings to

achieve the best look for the image.

The downside to converting color HDR images to black and white at this

stage is generally a loss of control. Color saturation settings are simple, and

you have very few, if any, options to manage the tones you want.



Converting a Tone Mapped HDR ImageThere are a number of methods to convert a color, tone mapped image to

black and white after the HDR process. Use your favorite image editor (in this

case, I use Photoshop Elements and Photoshop).

Weighing in on the grayscaleConverting an image to grayscale is a very simple procedure. That’s the upside.

The downside is that you have no control over the process. Contrary to what

you may think, there is no appreciable difference between the total number of

shades of gray in a grayscale image and one converted to black and white using

the other methods in this chapter, as long as you’re comparing images at 8

bits per channel. If you convert a 16-bit image to grayscale, the total number of

shades rises to 32,768. (As an aside, grayscale is the technically correct term for

black and white photography. The photos and images are made up of shades of

gray. A true black-and-white image has only two colors — black and white.)

In Photoshop Elements, choose Image➪Mode➪Grayscale. When prompted to throw the image’s

color information away, click OK.

DesaturayayayayshunAnother simple technique to get

a fast black-and-white image is

by desaturation. You can accom-

plish this in Elements by choosing

Enhance➪Adjust Color➪Adjust

Hue/Saturation and then reducing

Saturation to 0 in the dialog box, as


Using Convert to Black and WhitePhotoshop Elements has a handy

Convert to Black and White feature

that gives you some creative control

over the process. It’s probably the

most popular method to convert a

color image to black and white in Elements.

Finish editing the image. This includes noise reduction, contrast enhancements,

sharpening, and all other applicable steps shown in the workflow presented in

Chapter 10. You should have a layer ready to convert to black and white.

Figure 13-8: Desaturating an image.



To use the Convert to Black and White feature in Photoshop Elements, follow

these steps:

1. Choose Enhance➪Convert to Black and White.

The Convert to Black and White dialog box (see Figure 13-9) has the

following sections:

Figure 13-9: Converting to black and white in Photoshop Elements.

Duplicating the backgroundI like duplicating the Background layer before I make any changes. This preserves the original, tone mapped image in the file and allows me to go back and start over if I need to. In Photoshop

or Photoshop Elements, right-click the back-ground layer and choose Duplicate Layer. Rename the new layer and continue.



• Preview: In the Before and After windows, see the effects of the

settings you choose.

• Select a Style: From this handy list of presets, choose from styles

that blend color information (intensity, not hue) from the three

color channels. See a comparison in Figure 13-10.

• Adjustment Intensity: Use these sliders to adjust the percentage of

each color channel (Red, Green, and Blue) used in the conversion.

Ideally, they should add up to 100%, but you have some creative

latitude. You can also alter contrast using the Contrast slider.

2. Make adjustments to the conversion by moving the Red, Green, Blue,

and Contrast sliders. If you don’t like the results, click the Undo

button. If you really mess up, click the Reset button to remove all your

changes and start over.

Infrared Effect Newspaper Portraits

Scenic Landscape Urban/Snapshots Vivid Landscapes

Figure 13-10: The different presets in action.



A little change goes a long way here. Too much, and the image will be

white (too much intensity coming from one or all channels). Too little,

and the image will be black. Over-accentuating contrast tends to poster-

ize the image, although that can sometimes be a cool artistic effect.

3. When you’re finished and want to approve the conversion, click OK.

The image is converted and appears in the Elements workspace, as


Figure 13-11: Ready for more editing.

This isn’t the last stage of image processing. You’ll want to save your work,

most likely as a Photoshop (.psd) file and continue editing. In particular,

black-and-white images benefit from further contrast enhancements as well

as dodging and burning. For more information on additional editing tech-

niques, see Chapters 10 and 11.

Using a gradient map Most people don’t think of using gradient maps to convert images to black

and white, but the results are very good. I happened across it quite by acci-

dent one day. The thought occurred to me, “If I ever write a book called High



Dynamic Range Digital Photography For Dummies and am working on a chapter

entitled ‘Going Old School with Black-and-White HDR,’ then I need to use this!”

In Photoshop Elements, follow these steps:

1. Choose Layer➪New Adjustment

Layer➪Gradient Map to create

an adjustment layer.

This calls up the New Layer

dialog box, as shown in Figure

13-12. Click OK to continue.

2. If necessary, select a gradient from the

Adjustments panel.

If the gradient (you can see it in the

Adjustments panel in Figure 13-13) runs from

black to white, you don’t need to change it.

If it’s something else, select Black, White

from the Gradient Map drop-down list.

(See Figure 13-14.)

3. Click OK to close the dialog box and apply

the gradient map as an adjustment layer, as


If you don’t want the hassle of an adjustment

layer, right-click the layers in the Layers

palette and choose Merge Visible. This

combines the layers into one. If you do want

the hassle (say you want to come back and

edit the adjustment), remember to make a

merged copy to lock in the effect before you

continue.

A Gradient Map is nothing more than a mask that

turns everything beneath it to grayscale. You can

create part color and part black-and-white images

in Photoshop Elements by erasing areas of a

Grayscale Map mask. Select the Eraser and make

sure your background color is black (black areas

of the mask allow the lower layer to show

through unaffected). Click the mask to select it,

and then erase areas on the image you want to

remain in color. Make a mistake? Switch to the

Brush with white as the foreground color, and

paint white in the mask to reapply the black and

white adjustment.

Figure 13-12: Creating a gradient layer.

Figure 13-13: Find the details in the Adjustments panel.

Figure 13-14: Select a black and white gradient map.



Figure 13-15: The finished adjustment layer.

Working with Photoshop Not surprisingly, Photoshop has a very powerful tool to convert color images

to black and white. This is what I use because it gives me a significant degree

of control over how the final image looks. You can turn blue skies dark, green

grass light, red features gray, and so forth. It gives you a lot of creative free-

dom, and I’m all over that. You can also use Photoshop (and Elements) to

colorize (tint) a black-and-white image at the end of conversion. Sweet. You

can read about different ways to colorize later in the chapter in the “Using

Elements to colorize” section.

To use it, ride this escalator:

1. Choose Image➪Adjustments➪Black & White.

In the Black and White dialog box that opens, there are many more

options than in the Photoshop Elements method, but they work similarly.

2. (Optional) Select a preconfigured preset from the Preset drop-down list.

Options include choices such as Darker, High Contrast Red Filter, and

Yellow Filter. Scroll through the list, as seen in Figure 13-16, and find

one you like.



Original color Default Blue filter Infrared

Figure 13-16: The effects of a few presets.

3. Use the color sliders to alter color percentages.

These six colors create the tonal mixture of the black and white. For

example, increasing the amount with the Blues slider increases the inten-

sity of the blue channel during conversion, which lightens the resulting

grayscale image. This makes skies, water, and other blue objects lighter.

You can, therefore, lighten or darken specific areas of the black-and-

white image by increasing or decreasing the color percentage of one

of the six colors. Choose the color that is dominant in the area you’re

working in. (Make sure to select the Preview check box to see your

changes in real time.) See an example in Figure 13-17 — the preset is

High Contrast Red Filter, and I adjusted the Yellows slider.

4. (Optional) You may also click in the image (see Figure 13-18) and then

drag left or right to decrease or increase the color percentage based

on the source color of the area you clicked.

This is a fast and effective way to modify the black-and-white image’s tones.

You’re not colorizing the image when you make changes to the color slid-

ers. Rather, you’re adjusting the gray tone of the specific color you choose.

This lets you make blues dark gray and reds light gray, for example.



Yellows=+120 Yellows=–100 Yellows=0 Yellows=+300

Figure 13-17: Altering individual color ranges.

5. (Optional) Click the Auto button to let Photoshop assign color percent-

ages based on its own best judgment.

6. When you’re happy with the results, click OK.

Click and drag

Color Picker

Figure 13-18: Click and drag left or right to alter the tonality.

If you want to now colorize the image, select the Tint check box (refer to

Figure 13-18) and then click the Color Picker to select a tone to colorize with.

Alternatively, control the color by modifying the Hue. Control strength with

Saturation. Then click OK.



Quick and dirty editsPhotoshop Elements has three editing modes: Full (which I’m using in this chapter), Quick, and Guided:

✓ Quick: Includes a saturation control you can use to desaturate the image.

✓ Guided Edit: Has two options you might want to try: Enhance Colors (leads to desat-uration) and Old Fashioned Photo (guides you through converting a photo to black and white, and then colorizing it).

Colorizing Black-and-White ImagesColorizing (often called tinting or toning) black-and-white images overlays

one, two, or more colors over the black-and-white image, resulting in an

aged or other creative effect. For example, sepia-toned images that have the

appearance of aging are created this way (well, aside from photos that aged

naturally, of course).

There are several ways to approach colorizing images, depending on the

application you use to edit your images. Although you can experiment and

use these methods prior to creating the HDR image (much like converting

brackets to black-and-white before generating the HDR image and tone map-

ping it), my examples here use a completed tone mapped image.

Using Elements to colorizePhotoshop Elements has a few interesting ways to colorize images. They

are easy to use although limited. For example, you can’t colorize while

you convert the image to black and white or use the Duotone mode like in

Photoshop. Most of the time, you convert color images to black and white

by choosing Enhance➪Convert to Black and White. You can’t colorize while

doing that. However, if you convert to black and white by desaturating the

image by choosing Enhance➪Adjust Color➪Adjust Hue/Saturation (that

there’s a mouth full), you can colorize. This disclaimer has been brought to

you by Photoshop Elements 8.

Colorizing using the Hue/Saturation dialog boxThe easiest solution is to first convert the image to black and white, as

described in the earlier section, “Using Convert to Black and White.” Then

choose Enhance➪Adjust Color➪Adjust Hue/Saturation.



Select the Colorize check box and then adjust the Hue and Saturation sliders

accordingly. Hue controls the color, and Saturation controls intensity. You

can also modify the overall brightness of the image with the Lightness slider.

When finished, click OK. See the effects on a tone mapped photo in Figure

13-19 where I’m creating an old, blown-out look.

Figure 13-19: Colorize applies a single hue to the image.

Applying color layersAn alternate approach is to use color layers, which allows you to blend more

than one color, and even erase and blend the colors in creative ways. You

could have blue-tinted shadows and gold-tinted highlights, for example. To

use color layers, follow these steps on an image already converted to black

and white:

1. Create a color fill layer by

choosing Layer➪New Fill

Layer➪Solid Color.

2. In the New Layer dialog box

that appears (see Figure 13-20),

click OK. Figure 13-20: Creating a new fill layer.



3. Choose a color from the Color

Picker (as shown in Figure

13-21), and then click OK.

You can choose a basic color

from the vertical rainbow and

then select a specific hue (light

or dark, intense or muted) from

the large color box in the

middle. Or, you can enter color

values in the HSB, RGB, or Web

color boxes. I opt for a gold

color in Figure 13-21.

4. From the Layers palette, open

the drop-down list to change

the blending mode from Normal to Color;

see Figure 13-22.

Blending modes affect whether and how

layers on top allow other layers to show

through. Normally, they don’t allow other

layers to show through because they’re

opaque. You can change this behavior,

which is what you’re counting on to colorize

the image.

5. Lower the color layer opacity to blend

by using the Opacity slider on the Layers

palette.

The Opacity slider controls the color inten-

sity, as shown in Figure 13-23. The black-and-

white image should show through even at

100% because you changed the blend mode

to color.

If you have more than one color layer, all

except the very bottom one must have an

opacity less than 100% to allow the bottom

ones to show through.

6. Add more color layers if desired.

7. Blend by erasing areas you don’t want colorized.

This allows you to isolate colors from different layers and have them

apply to specific areas of the image. For more about blending, see

Chapter 10.

Figure 13-21: Choose a colorizing color.

Figure 13-22: Change blending to color.



Opacity slider

Figure 13-23: Blending with opacity.

Using the Color Variations dialog boxElements offers another colorizing tool — Color Variations. Several controls

are available here with which you can increase or decrease colors in specific

tonal regions. In other words, if you want to increase green in the shadows,

you can. The downside is that you have only three color options: Red, Green,

and Blue.

All is not lost, however, because a side effect of decreasing any of the three

primary colors is increasing another color. Red and cyan are thus linked, as

are green and magenta, and blue and yellow. Therefore, to increase cyan,

decrease red. Although this is an easy method, it’s sometimes hard to exer-

cise fine control over the process, and the preview window is tiny.

Adjustment layersMany layer adjustments can be applied directly to the layer you’re working on (the method I use in this chapter) or through adjustment layers, which are layers that make changes to the layers below them without altering the original layer’s content. For example, you can colorize a black-and-white layer by using the Adjust Hue/Saturation dialog box and apply the changes to that layer, or create an hue/saturation adjust-ment layer and achieve the same effect.

In general, adjustment layers take up more memory and make the application run slower. However, they have the benefit of preserving your original material. So, I encourage you to experiment with adjustment layers and see what you think. Many feel that the extra RAM usage is worth being able to save your origi-nal image, open and re-edit the layer, or hide it and add a new one to take a different direction. Your call.



To colorize a black-and-white image in Elements using the Color Variations

dialog box, follow these steps:

1. Modify brightness and contrast as desired by selecting an option from

either the Enhance➪Adjust Lighting menu or the Enhance➪Adjust

Color➪Adjust Color Curves menu.

Increase contrast for a nice, dramatic effect. You can also alter shadows,

midtones, and highlight brightness as well as midtone contrast.

2. Choose Enhance➪Adjust Color➪Color Variations.

The Color Variations dialog box appears, as shown in Figure 13-24.

3. Increase and decrease colors by selecting a radio button (Midtones,

Shadows, Highlights, or Saturation), and then adjusting the Amount

slider.

4. Choose a color to increase or decrease by clicking the appropriate

button (Increase Red, Decrease Red, and so on). To lighten or darken

the image as a whole, click the Lighten or Darken button.

5. (Optional) Click the Undo button if you don’t like a change; click the

Reset Image button to revert to the original and start over.

6. When you’re satisfied with the results, click OK.

Figure 13-24: Making color variations.



Using Photoshop to colorizePhotoshop has many of the same features as Elements (Colorizing, Color

Variations, and Color Layers), so I won’t repeat them here. As you’d expect,

Photoshop offers more power-user features that give you greater control

over colorizing.

DuotoningThe Photoshop color mode Duotone automatically applies colored tints in

various proportions. Duotone is easy and powerful, and has a lot of options.

You can choose the number of colors, specific toning curves for each color,

and the colors themselves. (CMYK is available as well.) However, your image

must be converted to grayscale, which is 8 bits per channel.

Although the name of this tool is Duotone (two colors), you can have one

color (Monotone) or more: three (Tritone) or four (Quadtone).

To apply a duotone, start with an image already converted to black and white

using your favorite method. It can still be a 8 Bits/Channel or 16 Bits/Channel

RGB image at this point (that is, a black-and-white image in a color space).

The point is for you to have a chance to control the black and white tonality.

If you want to quickly colorize an image and not spend a whole lot of time

converting it to black and white first, jump right into the following steps.

Follow these steps to apply a duotone:

1. Convert your image to 8 bits per channel by choosing Image➪Mode➪8 Bits/Channel.

2. Convert your image to grayscale by choosing Image➪Mode➪Grayscale.

You need to have an 8 bits/channel image converted to grayscale to use

duotone — it won’t work with any other format.

3. Convert your image to Duotone by choosing Image➪Mode➪Duotone.

The Duotone Options dialog box shows a monotone to begin with ini-

tially, or the settings from your last application.

Cross-processing in ElementsA good way to use the Color Variations dialog box in Elements is for cross-processing, which is a technique used to develop film in chemical

solutions meant for another type of film. The result is an oddly colorized image, often heavy in greens and yellows.



4. In the Duotone Options dialog box, choose a preset from the Preset

drop-down list.

You might prefer to find some presets you like and possibly modify and

save them as your own. (Configure the settings you like, and then select

the small drop-down list tucked between the Preset menu and the OK

button — within this list are the Save and Load Preset options.) Figure

13-25 shows a preset loaded in the dialog box and the image visible

onscreen. I selected the BMY Sepia 4 option in the Preset drop-down list,

chose Tritone from the Type drop-down list, and tweaked other details.

Figure 13-25: Viewing the effects of a tritone preset.

To create your own colorized image, use these options:

• Type: Select Monotone, Duotone, Tritone, or Quadtone.

• Duotone Curve: Click the little graph beside each color to control

how the tones are applied. Make them darker, lighter, increase the

contrast, and so on. The process is similar to adding points on a

histogram to brighten or darken, but you are limited to specific ink

percentages.

• Ink: Click the color swatch to open the Color Picker and choose a

new color.



• Color name: If you’re using a preset, the preset color name

appears. If you selected a color from the Color Picker, you can

name the color whatever you want.

• Overprint Colors: Click the Overprint Colors button to open a dialog

box where you can specify in what order the colors are printed.

For example, the result of printing red over blue can look different

than printing blue over red.

5. Click OK.

That’s it. I recommend saving the colorized image as a separate file

because it’s now an 8 bit-per-channel duotone image.

Cross-processingThere is no direct way to cross-process in Elements, but cross-processing

in Photoshop is easy. Cross-processing is a technique used to develop film in

chemical solutions meant for another type of film. The result is an oddly col-

orized image, often heavy in greens and yellows.

Because this is a chapter on black-and-white HDR, I tell you to start with

a tone mapped image that you’ve already converted to black and white.

However, you can cross-process color images as well — I encourage you to

experiment and see if you like the results. To cross-process a black-and-white

image in Photoshop, follow these steps:

1. Choose Image➪Adjustments➪Curves.

The Curves dialog box appears. Photoshop uses curves to alter the in-to-

out ratio of each color channel to create contrasted greens and yellows.

2. Select the Cross Process (RGB) preset from the Preset drop-down list.

Figure 13-26 illustrates a tone mapped photo with the Curves dialog

box open and the Cross Process (RGB) preset loaded. Notice the

otherworldly green tones applied to the image. That’s the beauty of

cross-processing.

3. Alter if desired by adjusting the RGB curve or selecting specific

channels (R, G, or B) and adjusting those curves individually.

You can completely customize the strength and balance of colors this way.

4. Click OK.

You’re free to continue editing or publish your image.



Figure 13-26: Cross-processing produces some interesting results.


Part VThe Part of Tens


In this part . . .

The Part of Tens concludes every For Dummies book — and for good reason: It’s a fun way to

fi nish. Despite being fun, I tried to make this as practical and helpful as possible.

Chapter 14 starts off with ten ways to shoot better photos for HDR, ranging from being patient while your family waits in the van to looking around for additional angles and shots at the same scene. Chapter 15 reverses this and shows you ten ways to ruin a good HDR image. These are things not to do. They range from overprocessing and over-sharpening to overreacting.


14(More Than) Ten Ways to Shoot

Better Photos for HDR

Taking better photos for HDR involves two things: taking better photos

in general, and effectively using the particular techniques of HDR. If you

aren’t taking good photos, whether you employ HDR techniques (like using

a tripod or AEB) is irrelevant. Likewise, you diminish the effect of shooting

wonderfully contrasted clouds at sunset in a five-shot bracketed set if you fail

to understand how to set up and compose the shot.

This chapter, therefore, provides helpful hints, reminders, and showcase

showdown images to help steer you in the right direction. There are certainly

more than ten ways to shoot better photos for HDR, but here is a good cross-

section of HDR-specific information and general photography pointers.

Getting a Good TripodGet a good tripod. Cheap tripods are, well, cheap.

They aren’t stable, don’t allow you to change heads,

break easily, and mark you as an amateur. Good

tripods are worth the investment. I have never

regretted — not for a minute — spending extra for

my Manfrotto tripod (the legs), heads (one ball and

one pan-tilt), and a good bag. This was after going

through several cheaper versions. You don’t have to

run out and buy a Manfrotto (distributed by Bogen,

by the way). Shop around and find something that

suits you. Try Gitzo, Induro, Slik, or Calumet. A good

tripod makes aligning HDR brackets easier in software.

Your overall HDR image will be sharper as a result. And, a

good tripod is especially a great investment if you have thousands


298 Part V: The Part of Tens

of dollars of camera and lenses to protect. These tripods have very strong

mounting plates (the thing you attach your camera to that mounts it on the

tripod) and don’t tip over or collapse easily.

Being PatientPhoto shoots are often exciting. The scenery is beautiful, and you’re pumped

to get good shots. It’s easy to be swept up by the fun and start rushing your-

self, but don’t. Be patient and enjoy yourself.

Going fast often results in errors. You may forget to change a camera setting

(I have), leave the camera in the wrong shooting mode (I have), forget where

you are in your shoot — “How many brackets are left?” — (I have), and end

up ruining the shoot (I have). Patience is also a strong factor in how you com-

pose a scene. If you take your time, you can analyze scenes and purposefully

compose better shots. It isn’t a race.

Becoming a Cloud WatcherHDR photography happens outside a good portion of the time, which is (con-

veniently) where clouds tend to congregate. Go figure. So pay attention to the

clouds: how they move and in what direction. And also pay attention to their

position in the sky in relation to the sun and what time it is. Early evening

(the “golden hour”), the sky can look completely boring one minute and light

up in a fantastic display the next. The sun strikes them from the side, and

then underneath as it sets.

In the morning, play this scene in reverse — the horizon will glow, then

the sun will peek up and light the bottoms of clouds, then the sides, then

the tops.

Figure 14-1 illustrates several cloud formations at different times during

the day and in different conditions. You can see there is a lot of variety.

When you start paying attention to clouds you will start seeing more and

more detail. When you start seeing this, you will start shooting better

clouds (and skies, and scenes) more on purpose. Then your HDR photos

will get better.


299 Chapter 14: (More Than) Ten Ways to Shoot Better Photos for HDR

Figure 14-1: Clouds come in many sizes and shapes, and are lit with different colors.

Taking Your Camera with YouIt really helps to have your camera with you almost everywhere you go

because, you know, you can’t take a photograph without your camera. So

toss your camera bag in the back seat or the trunk. That way, if you spot

something on the way or the light

that evening looks marvelous, you

can stop and take a picture.

Figure 14-2 is a shot taken in the

restroom at a local fast food estab-

lishment. The tiles fascinate me. I

love the way they look like pools of

blue liquid. After a while, I woke me

up to the fact that I never had my

camera with me to take a picture of

them. The next time I was there, I

took several bracketed sets and later

processed them into HDR.

Loving HDR PhotographyAs odd as it sounds, you will take better HDR photos if you love doing it. If it’s

a chore, a hassle, a distraction, or an otherwise dreary means to an end, you

will end up holding back and mechanically executing your craft without much

of a personal stake in it.

Figure 14-2: You can be spontaneous if you have your camera (and tripod) with you.



Loving what I do helps me keep trying, even when it’s hard. It fuels my persis-

tence and motivates me to learn and practice. It also makes it easier to digest

the (sometimes dry) aspects of exposure, cameras, gear, specifications, soft-

ware, and so forth.

Paying Attention to Light and TimeAs you traipse around looking for good HDR shots, you will undoubtedly run

into the same phenomena I have regarding light and time:

✓ Not all light is good. I used to love to go out at noon and take photo-

graphs because I thought the light was better. It certainly was stronger,

but better?

In general, no. Midday light causes lots of problems, actually — more

than it solves. The first and greatest problem is the sun is so intense,

shadows are very harsh. It’s like holding a flashlight directly over some-

one’s head as you take a photograph, only a thousand times worse.

✓ Not every time is good. This is intimately related to the first point

because when shooting outdoors, time and light are closely related.

As I mention earlier, the best time to shoot outdoors is during the

golden hour — the hour or so before sunset and after sunrise. Dusk (a

short period after sunset and before sunrise) can also be magical.

When you start to think of light in terms of time, and vice versa, you are

on your way to taking better photographs.

When you realize how important light and time are to the photograph, you’ll

start taking better pictures. This is true even for HDR. Just because you can

capture a broader range of light doesn’t mean every situation will produce an

award-winning photo.

Pay attention to how your scenes (landscapes, buildings, and so on) are ori-

ented toward the setting or rising sun. Decide where you want the light to be

for the best photograph; then see whether you can take that photo without

obstructions or distractions.

Knowing Your CameraToday’s brands of cameras rely extensively on auto this and auto that. One

of the consequences of this is that many amateur photographers don’t learn

how to use their cameras like they should.



Don’t be one of them. You’ll enjoy yourself more and take better pictures if

you learn how to use your camera. Think of yourself as an engineer operating

a complex piece of equipment — because you are. Take any dSLR camera and

look at all the buttons, displays, knobs, and ports. More likely than not, that

camera has a plethora of handy controls that are totally useless to you as a

photographer if you don’t know how to use them.

The best way to learn what all the buttons and controls are and what

they do is to read the manual. (Wiley Publishing offers a number of well-

illustrated books on a variety of dSLR models as well.) Learn every mode,

switch, menu option, knob, and button. Learn how to use everything, and

make sure to practice.

Read the manual in chunks. Don’t try to go from front to back in one sitting

and expect to remember everything. Get the basics down and start adding bit

by bit. Before you know it, you’ll have it!

Looking for ContrastAlthough HDR specializes in capturing scenes with a high dynamic range

of light, you can use other sources of contrast besides light. As you look at

several examples of contrast here, keep these thoughts in mind:

✓ Light and dark: This is HDR’s specialty.

Photograph scenes with a wide range of

light and dark for best results.

✓ Colors: Colors can contrast as well. Blue-

gray clouds floating in a blue sky across a

fiery red sunset. Green trees sit along a gray

road with white clouds in a blue sky. Red

rust on a blue truck with chrome details.

Interior spaces look much better if they are

filled with contrasting colors. Monotone

rooms and spaces are relatively boooorrrring.



✓ Textures and materials: Textures often contain details that can be

accentuated in HDR. Brick, wood, stone, grass, rocks, and other rough

surfaces are especially pleasing in HDR.

Returning to the SceneReturning to a particular scene is a great way to learn and grow. You become

familiar with the scene and see new things you missed during previous

shoots. All the shots in Figure 14-3 are of the same walkway under construc-

tion at a local university. They were shot with different cameras, at different

times, in different weather, and with different results. All are of the same sub-

ject, and all are in HDR.

Figure 14-3: Compelling scenes provide many great opportunities for HDR.



Scout out locations ahead of time — take some practice shots and evaluate

them with the expectation of going back. You might end up using some of

these shots.

Experiment with different times, angles, and bracketing solutions. Process

the photos in your computer and

study them to see how you can

improve your photography. You will

get better at it.

Looking AroundIf you go to shoot a scene, look up,

down, and sideways at other pos-

sible shots at that location. Turn

around and see what’s behind you.

Figure 14-14 illustrates the point

of shooting from different angles

of the same location, in contrast

to the previous section, where the

same subject was photographed

throughout. Notice that from one

vantage point on a bridge, the sun

set in a beautiful glow of color to

the west, the city was bathed in

golden hour light to the south, and

the east had a magical presence to

it as well. All the photos capture

the amazing clouds that were pres-

ent that evening.

Always be on the lookout for oppor-

tunities to make your current trip

pay off more than expected. If you

go looking for one scene, come

back with three. If you go to shoot

a sunset, shoot what’s behind and

beside you, too. Figure 14-4: There’s always something behind and beside you.



Using AEBAlthough you can shoot HDR photography with many types of cameras of

varying abilities, using auto exposure bracketing (AEB) really rocks. It takes

away much of your workload, which allows you to concentrate on setup and

composition.

If you have a fast camera, you can

use AEB to shoot scenes that are

impossible otherwise. The result in

Figure 14-5 comprises five bracketed

photos shot without a tripod. The

only thing that makes this possible

(I was just standing there — you

could lean against a car or a pole, or

brace the camera against your body

for additional support) is using AEB,

having enough ambient light, and a

camera with a fast shutter speed. It’s

HDR on the go, so to speak.

Moving clouds are particularly hard

to shoot manually. Even those that

don’t appear to be moving fast can

look horrible once you process them

in software.

Shuttering with a PurposeTry this simple rule when composing a scene. It will have a profound impact

on how you compose it. Take a picture of something. Not anything. Not

nothing. Take it of a thing you can point to and say, “This is why I took the

picture.” It could be a person, a tree, the sunset, a shadow, a horse, or a

building. Landscape shots of “nothing” will challenge you on this.

For example, the HDR image of a soybean field in Figure 14-6 isn’t terribly

bad, but it lacks purpose. Anyone could have walked out into this field and

taken this shot. That’s part of the problem. There is nothing to set it apart.

Here’s my point: HDR can’t make a bad photo good all the time. Don’t think

that all you need to do is fire up the HDR application and turn anything into

an amazing photo. Doesn’t work that way, and this shows it.

Figure 14-5: HDR from five hand-held exposures taken with AEB.



Figure 14-6: This shot lacks a strong purpose.

There are many ways to make these

types of shots better. Figure 14-7

shows a better composition, this

time of a corn field. The tripod is

lower, resulting in the corn plant in

the foreground becoming the true

subject of the scene. The rest of the

field recedes into the background,

and the field takes up more space in

the shot than the sky, which itself is

more attractive. The clouds are puffy

and interesting. Even though they’re

nice, they’re not the main element

of the shot: It’s about that one corn

plant. This photo has purpose and

interest, which is then accentuated

by HDR.

Figure 14-7: Corn takes center stage: a photo with a purpose.


15Ten Ways to Ruin

a Good HDR Image

You know, there are a lot of ways to ruin a harmless HDR image. I’ve done

it myself more than I would like to admit. (Thankfully, you can pick up

the original images any time and start over.) You might ruin images from a

little over-eager-beaverness (closely related to overkillitis) to make it look

HDR, or by being too timid.

This chapter, then, is a study in contradictions. For example, I tell you to

crank up the contrast but then not to overdo the drama. And I warn you

about losing your imagination but then say you’re going too far with HDR.

This chapter focuses on software ruination — not bracketing or other

photography mistakes. Most people are likely to get into trouble

while they tone map and edit HDR images — proactively ruin-

ing an image — rather than failing to capture it properly.

With that encouraging thought in mind, after seeing and

learning about these pitfalls, you’ll be armed to the

teeth to prevent them.

Halos, Halos, Everywhere!The number one way to ruin a good HDR image is

the dreaded halo. Your photos might be perfect,

but they don’t need halos to prove it. Figure 15-1

illustrates a nice view off an old walking bridge on the

river below with a nice sky and clouds above. What do

you see in the ruined image (left)? Halos. Halos around the

structure of the bridge and the tree line.



What typically happens is that you’re focused on achieving a certain look in

other areas of the photo that you either miss or ignore the fact that you’re

ruining the entire thing by leaving in halos.

The image on the right side of Figure 15-1 shows an alternative — tone

mapped and processed to create a similar look without the halos. Much

better! There are certain compromises, of course. The sky is brighter and

the structure darker. It looks closer to a realistic scene, but still not without

drama. If you wanted to bump that up a notch, you could further increase

contrast and do some dodging and burning in post-HDR editing.

Figure 15-1: You don’t have to ruin an image with halos.

Wimping Out on ContrastHDR images thrive in contrast: That’s the point. You’re capturing loads of

contrast when you go to the trouble of shooting brackets. Don’t settle for

images, then, that are too mushy in the contrast department. Live it. Love it.

The top image in Figure 15-2 shows a potentially gorgeous sunset with power-

ful colors and interesting details. The problem is that there is no contrast.

The colors look muted, and details are not accentuated. Sometimes we get


309 Chapter 15: Ten Ways to Ruin a Good HDR Image

scared of blowing out highlights or making something look too bold. It might

not be possible to achieve the level of contrast you want as you tone map.

In this case (see the bottom image in Figure 15-2), additional contrast was

added after the tone mapped image was saved. Additional burning made the

clouds and shadows on the water darker.

Figure 15-2: Contrast is Cing.

Believe it or not, that is why the colors look so much better: contrast.

Contrast sharpens the details of the clouds and sky, creates bold colors, and

makes for a much more interesting photo.



Imagination SmackdownImagination is a powerful thing, a fact that is made more obvious when you see

the result of not using it versus using it. It’s an Imagination Smackdown. The

top image in Figure 15-3 is an HDR image of a local diner during the “golden

hour” — that late time of day when the sun is low, and objects are more sun-lit

from the side and bottom (there’s one in the morning too). The problem is that

the lens I was using (and have since returned) had horrific distortion charac-

teristics. Nothing looks right in this image. I tried and tried to do something

that I like with this photo, and have come up short each time. The windows,

though, have always caught my attention. So, I decided to focus on them.

Rather than leave anything else in the image, I cropped and transformed so

that the windows took center stage. I moved the right window to the left a bit

to cover the sign and cloned to blend it in. The end result (see the bottom of

Figure 15-3) is something really powerful. It’s colorful, interesting, completely

unexpected — it’s imagination.

When your images show imagination, people will be far more interested in

looking at your work — it will be worth their time and effort to seek you out.

Figure 15-3: Imagination wins every time.



This Isn’t Casper, The Friendly GhostIf something is moving in your image and creates ghosting artifacts to the

point of becoming a distraction, take it out or mask it. Don’t let it dominate

the final image.

The top image in Figure 15-4 was

cropped from a scene with traffic

moving up the road. It’s an interest-

ing scene, but it has ghosts galore.

(If you’re into math and physics, it

is a good illustration of speed, time,

shutter speed, and frame rate.)

Had this been at night or had the

ghosting been more “river like”

(with a constant stream of cars

instead of a stop-start-stop appear-

ance) it would probably be worth

leaving the ghosting in.

The version without ghosting is also

shown on the bottom of Figure 15-4.

The truck is solid and contributes to

the image. This was achieved when creating the HDR (ghosting options) and

also by overlaying solid traffic over the ghosts (masking and blending).

Sharpening From Dusk ’Til DawnMuch like the mania with noise reduction, photographers are sometimes

obsessed with sharpness. They want everything to be pixelly perfectly

sharp from the nose of the camera to infinity, no matter what lens, aper-

ture, ISO, or shutter speed they use. If you get caught up in that, you’re

primed to over-sharpen your HDR images.

Figure 15-5 shows the results of over-sharpening (and then a proper

amount) on a close-up of Dale Earnhardt’s #3 car at the Kruse Automotive

and Carriage Museum. Over-sharpening introduced artifacts, noise, and

imperfections in the top image (which is a bit overdone, to try to show you

the result in this book). Alternatively, when you go easy, as in the bottom

image, you’re left with a much clearer image with less noise and no edge

artifacts.

Figure 15-4: B’bye, ghosts.



Here’s a trick. Don’t over-magnify

when you’re editing images. They’ll

always look bad at 1600% — much

like you would look like under a

microscope. Back away from the

magnifying glass. In fact, get into the

habit of zooming out and looking at

the image as if it were printed nor-

mally to gauge what is discernible for

the average print or not. If the image

is 300 dots per inch (dpi), 25% magni-

fication is a good representation; if at

72 dpi, then 100%.

Too Much Noise Reduction Going On

It’s tempting to try and squash every

little bit of noise from a tone mapped

HDR image the moment you see

it. I think everyone is slowly being

programmed to expect perfection

because of computers and digital

logic. No work of art, photograph, or

man-made anything has reached the

lofty goal of perfection.

So, get used to noise. Don’t overdo

the noise reduction. You’ll end up

with a featureless blob with no

sharpness and soft details. It’s okay.

You can even embrace noise at times

and use it to good effect.

Figure 15-6 shows part of a tall building with too much noise reduction

(left) and just the right amount (right).The window looks soft and fuzzy, the

reflections of the trees turn into a green blob, and the concrete looks too

smooth.

Figure 15-5: Over-sharpening adds noise and crud to your images.



Figure 15-6: Too much noise reduction softens an image and kills details.

Putting a Square Peg into a Round HoleWhen you run into a situation and it

seems like nothing is working —

the settings don’t look good, the

image feels wrong, the effects are all

bad — relax and take a break. The

image is telling you something.

That something is sometimes

related to forcing a solution to an

image. These are the times it pays to

realize you’re trying to put a square

peg in a round hole.

I have bracketed sets that I took a

year ago, and after an initial round

of processing and tone mapping, I

concluded that there wasn’t much

I could do with them. Instead of

trying to force it to happen, I left

them alone and kept shooting new

sets. In the process, I learned a lot.

Figure 15-7 shows a ruined photo of

a tulip (top) compared with some-

thing more reasonable (bottom). Figure 15-7: Letting go of preconceived notions of HDR.



The top image is the result of my impatience and stubbornness. I was

shooting bracketed HDR and wanted this flower to look dramatic. I wanted

to use the same settings on this image that I have been using on others. The

problem was that the flower wasn’t cooperating. When this happens, pay

attention. Tell yourself, “Self, I may be trying to put a square peg in a round

hole.” Stop. Relax. Come back later with a different mindset. The results can

be very good if you do!

Timidity on the ColoroidityIn general, bold, contrasting color is interesting to look at. It’s powerful

and striking. It reaches out, grabs you, and pulls you toward it. It gets your

attention.

The problem is that color is a fickle beast. Sometimes it rewards you.

Sometimes it punishes you. I think this (with perhaps some peer pressure of

some photographers who insist on mildness) results in many photographers

being too timid when editing images.

Figure 15-8 is a comparison of being a little too timid (top) versus being bold

with color (bottom). The timid version doesn’t look bad, mind you. I did not

desaturate or damage it so you would look at it and say, “Oh, that’s the bad

one!” However, compare it with the bottom image. It’s striking. The bolder

version really works. It makes a statement. Go back and look at some of your

images in your editor and see if you tend to be timid or not. Increase the satu-

ration by 10% to 30% and see how it looks.

Too Much HDRSometimes too much of a good thing can be a bad thing. I remember when

I first started working with HDR. I would generate an HDR image and then

tone map it with the most absurdly unrealistic and impractical settings pos-

sible. I loved the otherworldliness of it. It was HDR. Well, it wasn’t too long

until I realized that maybe I was overdoing it a bit. I started pulling back

on some settings and allowing myself to increase the Light Smoothing in

Photomatix Pro. The result was a bit more realism and a lot more satisfac-

tion in the long run.



Figure 15-8: Bold color gets attention.

Figure 15-9 shows a comparison of how this looks in practice. The scene is the

New Castle (Indiana) Chrysler High School Fieldhouse (“The Largest and Finest

High School Fieldhouse in the World”). The top version shows too much HDR.

I have to admit — it calls to me. It really does. However, in most cases (see, I

can barely bring myself to say it), it’s just too much HDR. The light balance is

funky, and there are too many details. Compare it with the more realistic ver-

sion (bottom). This is a great picture. This is what it looks like in person, and

the version that uses HDR to achieve a good balance of drama versus realism.



Figure 15-9: You can have too much HDR sometimes.

Overreacting to CriticismThe bottom line is this: Your HDR images are yours. Ultimately, what you

create should appeal to you on some level. Start there. Be comfortable with

that (but don’t let it go to your head).

Figure 15-10 illustrates two different interpretations of the same scene. I love

this scene. A guy (out of the frame) and his dad were eating in this pavilion

at the park when I brought my family over for some photography and fun.

The kids played in the playground (you can see it in the background), while I

walked around with my gear and shot brackets. I timed the shots so the older

gentleman wasn’t moving.



Figure 15-10: One scene — two different interpretations.

So, which version works? Which one doesn’t? Both. Neither. It depends on

who you’re asking. If that person hates overdramatized HDR, he will vote for

the realistic version. If that person loves the way HDR makes a photo look

like art, then she will shun the realistic version and say if you want that, just

go take a single picture.

Always recognize who your audience is and who is giving you feedback. They

are not always the same group. Make sure you’re responding to criticism for

the right reasons. Is it to improve your work? Is it to reach your audience

better? Is it to make people like you?


• Numerics •3-D, blending in

with opacity, 212–213

overview of, 212

select areas, 213–217

8-bit TIFFs, 183

16-bit images, and Photoshop Elements,

259

16-bit TIFFs, 183

35mm equivalence for focal lengths, 41

360 Image setting (Photomatix Pro), 163

• A •accessory shoes, 49

Adjust Color Curves dialog box

(Photoshop Elements), 209

Adjust Sharpness dialog box (Photoshop

Elements), 207, 208

adjustment layers, 203, 289

Adobe Camera Raw (ACR) plug-in

creating brackets from one Raw exposure

in, 140–142

description of, 57–58

processing Raw photos automatically

and, 256

Adobe Lightroom

black-and-white images, creating in, 270

converting photos to black and white

in, 276

description of, 54, 63–64


and, 256

Adobe Photoshop


choosing among tone mapping methods

in, 183

colorizing black-and-white images using,

291–294

converting tone mapped HDR images to

black and white using, 283–286

creating HDR images in, 146–149

cross-processing in, 293–294

description of, 63

Equalize Histogram tool, 186, 187

Exposure and Gamma method, 184–185

Highlight Compression method, 185–186

Local Adaptation method, 186–188

Photoshop Elements compared to, 216,

227–228

tone mapping options, 166–171

tone mapping steps, 184

Adobe Photoshop Elements

Adjust Color Curves dialog box, 209

Adjust Sharpness dialog box, 207, 208

blending in 3-D with, 212–220

blending modes, 217–220

Blur tool, 241

Brightness/Contrast dialog box, 240

Canvas Size dialog box, 244

choice of, 3

Clone Stamp tool, 208, 230–232

Color Variations dialog box, 289–290


286–290

Convert to Black and White feature,

278–281

Correct Camera Distortion dialog box,

210–211, 234–236


Crop tool, 266–267

cross-processing in, 291

description of, 63

Despeckle fi lter, 224–225

Dodge and Burn tools, 210

Dust & Scratches fi lter, 225

Eraser tool, 213–217, 227, 265

Gradient Map dialog box, 218

Hue/Saturation dialog box, 210, 219,

236–237, 278, 287

Index

24_560921-bindex.indd 31924_560921-bindex.indd 319 11/16/09 1:33 PM11/16/09 1:33 PM


Adobe Photoshop Elements (continued)

Image Size dialog box, 242

layer management in, 200–202

layers and, 198

Layers palette, 203, 204, 205, 288

Levels dialog box, 209, 237, 239–240

Median fi lter, 225

New Layer dialog box, 282, 287

noise reduction using, 222–225

Photo Filter dialog box, 238–239

Photoshop compared to, 216, 227–228

post-tone mapping workfl ow in, 206–212

Reduce Noise dialog box, 208, 223–224

Remove Color Cast dialog box, 238

Save for Web dialog box, 244–245

Spot Healing Brush, 229–230

stitching panoramas together in, 259–267

Adorama Camera, 44, 45, 48

AEB (Auto Exposure Bracketing)

benefi ts of, 304

description of, 29, 75

metering strategy for, 112

number of brackets to shoot and, 90

setting up, 81–83

shooting multiple auto brackets, 105–108

shooting photos using, 104–105, 106

aesthetics, and black-and-white images,

270

Align Source Images option (Photomatix

Pro), 144

Amazon.com, 44, 48

Angle option (Photoshop Elements), 235

aperture, controlling exposure using, 70

aperture priority mode, and Auto Exposure

Bracketing, 83

Apple Aperture


Hydra HDR plug-in for, 61


and, 256

applications. See also Lightroom;

Photomatix Pro; Photoshop;

Photoshop Elements; software

problems

Adobe Camera Raw plug-in, 57–58,

140–142, 256

Apple Aperture, 54, 64–65, 256

Artizen HDR, 53, 58

for converting Raw photos to TIFFs, 54–55

Corel Paint Shop Pro Photo, 63

Dynamic Photo HDR, 59

easyHDR, 59–60

FDRTools, 60

features of, 52–53

HDR, 52–53

Hydra HDR plug-in for Aperture 2.1, 61

image editing, 54

image management, 54

PTGui, 268

Qtpfsgui, 62

staying current on, 62

third-party Raw, 56–57

types of, 51–52

artistic shots

examples of, 24–25

imagination, showing, 310

looking for other possible scenes to

shoot, 303

purpose, shooting with, 304–305

Artizen HDR, 53, 58

Attempt to Reduce Ghosting Artifacts

option (Photomatix Pro), 144–145

Auto Exposure Bracketing (AEB)

benefi ts of, 304


metering strategy for, 112


setting up, 81–83

shooting multiple auto brackets, 105–108

shooting photos using, 104–105, 106

auto focus modes, and exposure

compensation bracketing, 78

Auto layout option (Photoshop Elements),

260

• B •Background Eraser tool (Photoshop

Elements), 227

Background layers

duplicating, 206–208, 286

preserving, 203, 205

sharpening, 206–208


321 Index

bags

for cameras, 47, 48

for tripods, 47

ball heads on tripods, 46

barrel distortion, 232–233

baseline settings, previewing, 176, 177

batch processing

benefi ts of, 190

images for panoramas, 258–259

multiple fi les, 190–194

Raw converters and, 139

single fi les, 194–196

Batch Processing of Differently Exposed

Images dialog box (Photomatix Pro),

191, 258

Batch Processing option (Photomatix Pro),

155

Batch Single Files option (Photomatix Pro),

155

batteries

power, checking, 79

recharging and keeping extra, 86

benefi ts

of Auto Exposure Bracketing, 304

of batch processing, 190

of compact digital cameras, 31

of dSLR cameras, 35–36

of high-end and super-zoom cameras, 34

of light meters, 47

B&H Photo, 48

Bit Depth drop-down list (Photoshop), 148

black and white, converting images to

early in HDR process, 274–277

emphasizing contrast and, 270–271

overview of, 269–270

to solve color problems, 273

subjects and, 274

tone and, 271–272

while tone mapping, 210, 277

black and white, converting tone mapped

HDR images to

desaturation method, 278

gradient map method, 281–283

grayscale method, 278

using Photoshop, 283–286

Black and White dialog box (Photoshop),

283–284

black and white images, colorizing

Photoshop, using, 291–294

Photoshop Elements, using, 286–290

Black Point setting (Photomatix Pro), 160,

179

blending. See also blending in 3-D

description of, 197

frames of panoramas with layer masks,

263–265

images, example of, 124–125

in Photoshop Elements, 206, 207

blending in 3-D


overview of, 212


Blending Mode drop-down list (Photoshop

Elements), 202

blending modes

layers and, 199

Photoshop Elements, 217–220

blown out areas, taming, 16–17

Blue fi lter option (Photoshop), 284

Blur tool (Photoshop Elements), 241

borders, adding to images, 244

bow-tie effect, 261

bracketed sets, 73–74

bracketing process. See also manual

bracketing; shooting bracketed photos

answers to questions about, 88

confi guring cameras for, 75


dSLR cameras and, 36

example of, 12

exposure and, 73–74

exposure compensation, setting up, 76–78

number of brackets to shoot, deciding on,

88–91

for panoramas, 253–254

problems with, 118

seeing difference between brackets and,

91–96

setting auto exposure distance for, 73

using fi lm, 101



brightness

adjusting, 179–180, 209

analyzing, 176, 177

correcting, 239–240

brightness relationships between points in

images, 152

Brightness setting (Photomatix Pro), 163

Brightness/Contrast dialog box


bubble shot example, 24–25

Burn tool (Photoshop Elements), 210

• C •cables, shutter release, 48

camera position, distortions due to,

233–234

camera response curves (Photoshop), 149

camera shops, making friends at, 28

cameras

bags for, 47, 48

choosing, 29–30

cleaning, 86

confi guring for HDR, 75–76

dSLR, 35–37

dynamic range of, 14–15

high-end compact and super-zoom, 33–35

inexpensive compact, 30–32

learning to use, 300–301

Raw software and, 54–56

resetting, 86

taking along everywhere, 299

using in place of light meters, 114

Canon cameras

G11, 41

PowerShot A75, 39–40

PowerShot A480, 30, 97

PowerShot G10, 33

PowerShot SX1, 33

PowerShot SX-20 IS, 33

PowerShot X10, 33

Canvas Size dialog box (Photoshop

Elements), 244

casual shooting and single-exposure HDR,

118

center brackets, creating from one Raw

exposure, 141

center brackets, shooting

exposure compensation method, 99

manual bracketing method, 103

center sets, shooting, 107

cleaning camera and lenses, 86

clipping lows or highs, 88

Clone layers, creating, 204

Clone Stamp tool (Photoshop Elements),

208, 230–232

cloning techniques

Clone Stamp tool, 230–232


close-ups, and wide angle lenses, 40

cloud formations, 298–299, 304

color. See also color problems, correcting;

color temperature

adjusting and enhancing, 181

contrast in, looking for, 301–302

timidity in use of, 314, 315

color casts, correcting, 237–239

color intensity, analyzing, 178, 179

color layers, applying to colorize, 287–289

color percentages, altering, 284–285

Color Primaries HDR Based on drop-down

list (Photomatix Pro), 145

color problems, correcting

color casts, 237–239

by converting images to black and white,

270, 273

oversaturation, 236–237

Color Saturation setting (Photomatix Pro)

adjustments in, making, 181

tone mapping and, 158, 277

color temperature

analyzing, 178, 179

controlling, 161, 162

Color Variations dialog box (Photoshop

Elements), 289–290

colorizing black-and-white images



combination distortion, 233

comfort level, discovering, 26

compact digital cameras

choosing, 30–32

lenses of, 37–38


323 Index

comparing

brackets, 91–96

luminance on points in images, 152

tone mapping approaches, 188–190

composition

patience and, 298

for single-exposure HDRs, 119

as taking picture of something, 304–305

wide angle lenses and, 40, 42

compromised exposures, 15, 16, 17

confi guring cameras for HDR, 75–76

contact lenses, 49

continuous high-speed shooting, 120

contrast

adjusting, 179–180, 209

analyzing, 177, 178

emphasizing in black-and-white images,

270–271

increasing, 125

lack of, 308–309

looking for, 301–302

smoothing and, 182

Contrast Adaptation setting (Photomatix

Pro), 164

Contrast layers, creating, 204

controls

in Artizen HDR, 53

in Details Enhancer, 156–163

diopter adjustment, 49

of dSLR cameras, 35

of high-end and super-zoom cameras, 34

size of, 32

touch-screen, 33

Convert to Black and White dialog box


Convert to Black and White feature

(Photoshop Elements), 278–281

converting. See also converting images

to black and white; converting Raw

photos; converting tone mapped HDR

images to black and white

to black and white, 210

to grayscale, 278

Raw photos to TIFF, 54–56

converting images to black and white

early in HDR process, 274–277

emphasizing contrast and, 270–271


to solve color problems, 273

subjects and, 274

tone and, 271–272

while tone mapping, 210, 277

converting Raw photos

deciding whether to, 136–137

steps for, 138–139

traditional digital photo processing

compared to, 137–138


black and white

desaturation method, 278

gradient map method, 281–283

grayscale method, 278

using Photoshop, 283–286

copyright information, adding to images,

241


Correct Camera Distortion dialog box

(Photoshop Elements), 210–211,

234–236

costs

converting Raw photos and, 137

dSLR cameras, 37

overall, 26

coverage, and wide angle lenses, 39

criticism, overreacting to, 316–317

cropped bodies (dSLR cameras), 36

cropping fi nal panorama images, 266–267

cross-processing

in Photoshop, 293–294

in Photoshop Elements, 291

Cylindrical layout option (Photoshop

Elements), 261, 262

• D •Default option (Photoshop), 284

desaturating

tone mapped HDR images, 278

while tone mapping, 277

Despeckle fi lter (Photoshop Elements),

224–225



details

analyzing, 177, 178

enhancing, 20–21

increasing, 125

rescuing from blown highlights, 16–17

rescuing from shadows, 14–16

tweaking, 181–182

Details Enhancer (Photomatix Pro)

Color Saturation setting, 158

color settings, 161

description of, 156

general controls, 156–159

launching, 175, 176

Luminosity setting, 158

Microcontrast setting, 158

miscellaneous settings, 162–163

Process button, 182

Smoothing setting, 159

Strength setting, 157–158

tone settings, 159–160

differences between brackets, seeing,

91–96

diopter adjustment controls, 49

distortion

correcting, 210–211

fi xing, 232–236

wide angle lenses and, 40, 41

distractions, removing, 230–232

Dodge tool (Photoshop Elements), 210

dragging and dropping layers, 201

dSLR cameras

choice of, 2, 3

choosing, 35–37

Duotone color mode (Photoshop), 291–293

Duotone Options dialog box (Photoshop),

291–292

duplicating layers

Background, 206–207, 286

overview of, 201

dust, removing, 229–230

Dust & Scratches fi lter (Photoshop

Elements), 225


dynamic range

defi nition of, 14, 16

high end of, 17

histograms and, 105, 109

of scenes, number of brackets to shoot

and, 88–89

squeezing, 152, 153

• E •easyHDR, 59–60

editing

applications for, 54

with layers, 202–205

magnifying images when, 312

editing modes (Photoshop Elements), 279

8-bit TIFFs, 183

entrance pupils, 255

Equalize Histogram tool (Photoshop)



equipment. See also cameras; lenses;

software; tripods

bags, 47, 48

for HDR photography, 2

kneepads, 48

levels, 48–49

light meters, 47, 109–113, 114


researching and shopping for, 28

shutter release cables, 48

for single-exposure HDR, 118–119

white balance aids, 49

Eraser tool (Photoshop Elements)

blending in 3-D and, 213–217

blending with layer masks and, 265

masked noise reduction and, 227

EV (Exposure Value), 72–73

experimenting, 26

exposure

bracketing and, 73–74

camera compromising when measuring,

15, 16, 17

checking when shooting panoramas,

252, 253

controlling, 29–30, 70–72

metering modes and, 74

photographic stops and, 72–73


325 Index

Exposure and Gamma method (Photoshop)

description of, 166

tone mapping and, 184–185

exposure compensation bracketing

description of, 75


setting up, 76–78

shooting photos using, 97–100

Exposure Compensation feature, 30, 31

Exposure Fusion option (Photomatix Pro),

155, 165

Exposure settings for generation HDR

image screen (Photomatix Pro), 143

Exposure slider (Adobe Camera Raw), 140

Exposure Value (EV), 72–73

exterior spaces, shooting from interior

spaces, 23–24

external light meters

benefi ts of having, 47

using cameras in place of, 114

working with, 109–113

Eye Dropper tool (Photoshop), 187

• F •faces, shadows on, working with, 21–23

FDRTools, 60

fi le formats. See also JPEG fi le format

choosing, 135–136

PSD, 203, 206

Raw, 34, 36

Raw+JPEG, 36, 124

Web site resources on, 136

fi les (HDR), properties of, 135

fi lm, bracketing process using, 101

Final layers, creating, 204

fl ash, using on faces, 23

fl exibility


of dSLR cameras, 35

of super-zoom cameras, 34

fl oating point TIFF/PSD fi le format, 135

f-numbers, controlling exposure using, 70

focal lengths of lenses, 41

focus

acceptable, 70

for panoramas, 250

focus modes, 32

forcing settings onto images, 313–314

frame, defi nition of, 70

frames

adding to images, 244

of panoramas, blending with layer masks,

263–265

framing strategy for panoramas, 251–252

• G •Gamma setting (Photomatix Pro)

brightness and contrast, adjusting with,

179, 180

description of, 160

gear. See also cameras; lenses; software;

tripods

bags, 47, 48

for HDR photography, 2

kneepads, 48

levels, 48–49

light meters, 47, 109–113, 114


researching and shopping for, 28



white balance aids, 49

general purpose lenses, 41–42, 43

Generate HDR dialog box (Photomatix

Pro), 143

Generate HDR-Options dialog box

(Photomatix Pro), 143, 144–145, 257

ghosting, 118, 311

giclée prints, 96

glasses, 49

golden hour, 300

Gorillapod (Joby), 44

Gradient Map dialog box (Photoshop

Elements), 218

Gradient Map drop-down list (Photoshop

Elements), 282



gradient maps, converting images to black

and white using, 281–283

grayscale, converting images to, 278

growing skills, 26

growth potential


of dSLR cameras, 36

Guided editing mode (Photoshop

Elements), 279

• H •halos, 307–308

hand-held HDR, and bracketing, 11

HDR Conversion dialog box (Photoshop),

166

HDR fi le formats, choosing, 135–136

HDR fi les, properties of, 135

HDR images. See also HDR images, creating

examples of, 9

properties of, 134

saving original, 188

HDR images, creating

in Photomatix Pro, 142–146


in Photoshop Elements, 149–150

HDR photography. See high dynamic range

(HDR) digital photography

heads for tripods, 47, 255

hiding layers, 202

high dynamic range (HDR) digital

photography

description of, 1

equipment needed for, 2

images and examples of, 9

loving, 299–300

purpose of, 133

as two-tiered process, 10–11

high-end compact cameras

choosing, 33–35

lenses of, 38–39

Highlight Compression method

(Photoshop)

description of, 167


highlights, taming, 16–17

Highlights Smoothness setting (Photomatix

Pro)

description of, 162

tone mapping and, 182

histograms. See also Equalize Histogram

tool

estimating dynamic range using, 105, 109

Photomatix Pro, 156

horizontal distortion, 233

Horizontal Perspective option (Photoshop

Elements), 235

Hue/Saturation dialog box (Photoshop

Elements)

black-and-white images, creating, 278

blending modes and, 219

colorizing using, 286–287

oversaturation, correcting, 236–237



• I •image editing applications, 54

image management applications, 54

image preview window (Photomatix Pro),

156

Image Size dialog box (Photoshop

Elements), 242

images. See also images (HDR); quality of

pictures; Raw photos; saving images;

shooting photos

publishing, 241–245

recomposing, 211

as representing reality, 24

resizing, 242

selling, 96

straightening, 210–211

images (HDR). See also images (HDR),

creating

examples of, 9

properties of, 134

saving original, 188

images (HDR), creating

in Photomatix Pro, 142–146


in Photoshop Elements, 149–150


327 Index

imagination, images showing, 310

imperfections, removing, 208

incident mode (light meters), 109

infi nity focus mode, 78

Infrared Effect (Photoshop Elements), 280

Infrared option (Photoshop), 284

Interactive layout option (Photoshop


interior spaces

example, 17–20

shooting exterior spaces from, 23–24

wide angle lenses and, 39–40

ISO, controlling exposure using, 71–72

• J •JPEG brackets

comparing, 94

HDR images processed from, 93

Raw brackets converted to TIFF

compared to, 96

JPEG fi le format

compact digital cameras and, 32

converting Raw photos to, 138–139

creating to post on Web, 242–245


• K •kit lenses, 41–42, 43

kneepads, 48

Kodak EasyShare Z740, 33

Kodak tripods, 44

• L •landmarks, for shooting panoramas,

252–253

Lasso tool (Photoshop Elements), 227

layer management

description of, 197

performance of computer and, 211

in Photoshop Elements 8, 200–202

layer masks, blending frames of panoramas

with, 263–265

layers

adjustment, 203, 289

applying noise reduction to, 222–225

Background, 203, 205, 206–208, 286

color, applying to colorize, 287–289

description of, 198

duplicating, 201, 206–207, 286

editing with, 202–205

merged, creating, 203, 204

moving, 201

semi-transparent, 199, 200

transparent, 198–199

Layers palette (Photoshop Elements)

colorizing black-and-white images, 288

editing with layers, 203, 204

layer history, 205

LCD guide lines, 78

learning to use cameras, 300–301

left brain, 25

legs of tripods, 46

lens distortion, types of, 232–233

lenses

bags for, 47, 48

budget compact, 37–38

cleaning, 86

compact digital cameras, 32

for dSLR cameras, 37

focal lengths of, 41

general purpose and kit, 41–42, 43

macro, 43

premium and super-zoom, 38–39

prime, 43

super-zoom, 33

telephoto, 43

wide angle, 39–40

leveling cameras on tripods, 250–251

levels, 48–49

Levels dialog box (Photoshop Elements)

brightness and contrast and, 239–240

color casts and, 237


light, paying attention to, 300

light balance

adjusting, 180–181

analyzing, 176, 178



light meters

benefi ts of having, 47

using cameras in place of, 114

working with, 109–113

Light mode of Smoothing setting

(Photomatix Pro), 159

Lightroom (Adobe)


converting photos to black and white

in, 276



and, 256

Local Adaptation method (Photoshop),

168–171, 186–188

local contrast

Local Adaptation method and, 168–171,

186–188

Microcontrast control and, 158, 182

looking for other possible scenes to

shoot, 303

Loupe tool (Photomatix Pro), 157

loving HDR photography, 299–300

low dynamic range images, tone mapping,

21–23

luminance, comparing on points in

images, 152

Luminosity setting (Photomatix Pro)

description of, 158

tone mapping and, 179, 181–182

Lumisphere, 109

• M •macro focus mode, 78

macro lenses, 43

Magic Eraser tool (Photoshop Elements),

227

Magic Wand tool (Photoshop Elements),

227

magnifying images when editing, 312

managing

images, applications for, 54

layers, 197, 200–202

photo collections in Adobe Lightroom, 64

Manfrotto 055XPROB tripod legs, 45

manual bracketing

description of, 75

metering strategies for, 109–113

setting up, 78–80

shooting photos using, 100–104

manual exposure mode, 29

manual mode

Auto Exposure Bracketing and, 83


for shooting panoramas, 250

Manually Set EV dialog box (Photoshop),

147

manuals for cameras

downloading, 28

reading, 301

masked noise reduction, 226–229

masking, 200, 215

masks

blending panorama frames with, 263–265

gradient maps as, 282

master frames, creating, 257

matrix-type metering, 80

Median fi lter (Photoshop Elements), 225

megapixels with high-end and super-zoom

cameras, 34

memory cards

space on, checking, 79

wiping before starting new shoots, 86

Merge to HDR dialog box (Photoshop), 146,

147–148

merged layers, creating, 203, 204

metering modes


exposure and, 74

metering shots

auto bracketing and, 104

exposure compensation and, 98

manual bracketing and, 101

metering strategies

with light meters, 109–113

using cameras in place of light meters,

114

Microcontrast setting (Photomatix Pro)

description of, 158



329 Index

Micro-smoothing setting (Photomatix Pro)



tone mapping people and, 124

midday light, 300

monopods, 44

mounting plates, 298

moving, taking single-exposure HDR

when photographers or subjects are,

116–117

moving layers, 201

multi-metering, 74

multiple masked noise reduction, 228–229

• N •Naming Types dialog box (Photomatix

Pro), 194

New Layer dialog box (Photoshop

Elements), 282, 287

Newspaper style (Photoshop Elements),

280

Nikon cameras

Coolpix 6000, 33

Coolpix S220, 30

D200, 104

Nikon Capture NX 2

Batch Process dialog box, 139

batch routines and, 257

converting photos to black and white in,

275–276

cost of, 54–55

nodal points, 255

noise. See also noise reduction

analyzing, 178, 179


with high-end and super-zoom

cameras, 35

ISO and, 71–72

noise reduction

masked, 226–228

multiple masked, 228–229

overuse of, 312–313

with Photoshop Elements, 222–225

selecting areas for, 225–226

tone mapping and, 125–126, 208

Noise reduction layers, creating, 205

no-parallax points, 255

number of brackets to shoot, deciding on

dynamic range of scenes and, 88–89

gear and, 90

rationale for choosing, 90–91

style and, 90

• O •Obermeier, Barbara, Photoshop Elements 8

For Dummies, 202

online manuals for cameras,

downloading, 28

opacity

blending with, 212–213

changing, 202


Opacity slider (Photoshop Elements),

288–289

OpenEXR fi le format, 135–136

optical viewfi nders, 31

Original color option (Photoshop), 284

outdoors, shooting photos

cloud formations and, 298–299

exterior spaces with interior spaces,

23–24

light and time, paying attention to, 300

looking around for other possibilities, 303

returning to scenes, 302–303

sunset example, rescuing details from

shadows, 14–16

overexposed, defi nition of, 73

overexposed photos, creating from one

Raw exposure, 141–142

overexposed photos, shooting

exposure compensation method, 99–100


overexposed sets, shooting, 108

overlapping frames for panoramas,

251–252

overreacting to criticism, 316–317

oversaturation, correcting, 236–237

over-sharpening, correcting, 311–312

overusing effects, 314, 315–316



• P •Padova, Ted, Photoshop Elements 8 For

Dummies, 202

pan heads on tripods, 46

Panasonic Lumix cameras

DMC-FZ28, 33

DMC-LX3, 33

LZ8, 30, 37–38, 90

panoramas. See also panoramas,

processing as HDR

casual vs. professional, 255

cropping fi nal images, 266–267

fi eld of vision and, 249

PTGui software for, 268

shooting in HDR, 250–255

stitching together in Photoshop

Elements, 259–267

panoramas, processing as HDR

batch processing other images, 258–259

creating master frames, 257

developing Raw photos in bulk, 256–257

parallax, 255

patience when shooting, 298

people

shooting, example of, 21–23

tone mapping, 124

performance of computer, and layers, 211

Perspective layout option (Photoshop


Photo Filter dialog box (Photoshop


photo fi lters, to cool or warm images,

238–239

photo review, turning off, 78, 97

photographic stops, 72–73

Photomatix Pro. See also Details Enhancer

analyzing images before tone mapping,

175–178

batch-processing multiple fi les in,

190–194, 258–259

batch-processing single fi les in, 194–196

choice of, 3

Color Saturation setting, 277


downloading trial version of, 155

Exposure Fusion tool, 155, 165

Gamma setting, 160, 179, 180

Generate HDR dialog box, 143

Generate HDR-Options dialog box, 143,

144–145, 257

Loupe tool, 157

making and evaluating adjustments,

178–182


preparing for tone mapping, 173

processing and saving images in, 182–183

pseudo-HDR and, 121

Tone Compressor, 163–164

tone mapping settings, 92

Workfl ow Shortcuts dialog box, 155

Photomerge dialog box (Photoshop


Photoshop (Adobe)


choosing among tone mapping methods

in, 183


291–294


black and white using, 283–286


cross-processing in, 293–294

description of, 63

Equalize Histogram tool, 186, 187

Exposure and Gamma method, 184–185

Highlight Compression method, 185–186

Local Adaptation method, 186–188

Photoshop Elements compared to, 216,

227–228

tone mapping options, 166–171

tone mapping steps, 184

Photoshop Elements (Adobe)

Adjust Color Curves dialog box, 209

Adjust Sharpness dialog box, 207, 208

blending in 3-D with, 212–220

blending modes, 217–220

Blur tool, 241

Brightness/Contrast dialog box, 240


331 Index

Canvas Size dialog box, 244

choice of, 3

Clone Stamp tool, 208, 230–232

Color Variations dialog box, 289–290


286–290

Convert to Black and White feature,

278–281

Correct Camera Distortion dialog box,

210–211, 234–236


Crop tool, 266–267

cross-processing in, 291

description of, 63

Despeckle fi lter, 224–225


Dust & Scratches fi lter, 225

editing modes, 279

Eraser tool, 213–217, 227, 265

Gradient Map dialog box, 218

Hue/Saturation dialog box, 210, 219,

236–237, 278, 287

Image Size dialog box, 242

layer management in, 200–202

layers and, 198

Layers palette, 203, 204, 205, 288

Levels dialog box, 209, 237, 239–240

Median fi lter, 225

New Layer dialog box, 282, 287

noise reduction using, 222–225

Photo Filter dialog box, 238–239

Photoshop compared to, 216, 227–228

post-tone mapping workfl ow in, 206–212

Reduce Noise dialog box, 208, 223–224

Remove Color Cast dialog box, 238

Save for Web dialog box, 244–245


stitching panoramas together in, 259–267

Photoshop Elements 8 For Dummies

(Obermeier and Padova), 202

pictures. See also images (HDR); quality of

pictures; Raw photos; saving images;

shooting photos


recomposing, 211

as representing reality, 24

resizing, 242

selling, 96

straightening, 210–211

pincushion distortion, 233

plug-ins

Adobe Camera Raw, 57–58, 140–142, 256


point-and-shoot cameras, 30–32

Portraits style (Photoshop Elements), 280

posterizing, 92

post-tone mapping workfl ow

brightness and contrast, 209

cloning for dust and distractions, 208

color problems, correcting, 209

distortions, correcting, 210–211


duplicating Background layer and

sharpening, 206–208

looking for places to blend materials, 206

noise reduction, 208


recomposing, 211

saturation adjustments, 210

saving image as PSD, 206

presets

for converting Raw photos, 138

for styles

for tone mapping, 174

previewing baseline settings, 176, 177

prime lenses, 43

print, creating images for, 96

problems. See color problems, correcting;

software problems

Process button (Photomatix Pro), 182

processing panoramas as HDR

batch processing other images, 258–259

creating master frames, 257

developing Raw photos in bulk, 256–257

Project Bin (Photoshop Elements 8), 150

PSD fi les, saving images as, 203, 206

pseudo-HDR, 21–23, 117

PTGui, 268

publishing images, 211–212, 241–245

purpose, shooting photos with, 304–305

putting square pegs into round holes,

313–314



• Q •Qtpfsgui, 62

quality of pictures

converting Raw photos and, 136–137



cameras, 34

Quick editing mode (Photoshop Elements),

279

quick release plates for tripods, 47

• R •Radiance RGBE fi le format, 135–136

Radius slider (Photoshop), 168–169, 170,

186–188

Raw brackets converted to TIFF

comparing, 94

HDR images processed from, 95

JPEG brackets compared to, 96

Raw conversion, converting images to

black and white during, 274–277

Raw converters. See also Adobe Camera

Raw plug-in; Apple Aperture; Nikon

Capture NX 2; Sony Image Data

Converter

batch processing and, 139

description of, 53

Raw fi le format



cameras, 34

Raw photos. See also Raw photos,

converting

creating brackets from one, 140–142

deciding whether to convert, 136–137

developing in bulk, 256–257

example of, 128

as exception to bracketing, 11

Raw photos, converting

steps for, 138–139

to TIFF, 54–56

traditional digital photo processing

compared to, 137–138

Raw software

cameras and, 54–56

third-party, 56–57

Raw+JPEG fi le format, 36, 124

reality, photographs as representing, 24

recomposing images, 211

Reduce Chromatic Aberrations option


Reduce Noise dialog box (Photoshop

Elements), 208, 223–224

Reduce Noise option (Photomatix Pro), 144

reducing noise

masked noise reduction, 226–228

multiple masked noise reduction, 228–229

overuse of techniques for, 312–313

with Photoshop Elements, 222–225

selecting areas for, 225–226


remote shutter releases, 48

Remove Color Cast dialog box (Photoshop

Elements), 238

Remove Distortion option (Photoshop

Elements), 234

removing

distractions, 230–232

dust, 229–230

renaming layers, 201

Reposition Only layout option (Photoshop

Elements), 261, 262

researching equipment, 28

resetting cameras, 86

resizing images, 242

returning to scenes, 302–303

reviews of equipment, evaluating, 28

right brain, 25

rough spots, smoothing, 240–241

• S •saturation, adjusting, 210, 236–237

Saturation Highlights setting (Photomatix

Pro)

description of, 161


Saturation layers, creating, 204


333 Index

Saturation Shadows setting (Photomatix

Pro), 161, 181

Save for Web dialog box (Photoshop


Save Settings (Photomatix Pro), 179

saving images

after tone mapping, 182–183

original, 188

as PSD fi les, 203, 206

Scale option (Photoshop Elements), 235

scene modes

Auto Exposure Bracketing and, 83

exposure compensation bracketing

and, 77

scenes

dynamic range of, and number of

brackets to shoot, 88–89

looking for other to shoot, 303

returning to, 302–303

Scenic Landscape style (Photoshop

Elements), 280

selecting

areas for noise reduction, 225–226

layers, 200

selling images, 96

semi-transparency, 199, 200

sensor gain, controlling exposure using,

71–72

Set White Point Preview slider

(Photoshop), 148

shadows

on faces, working with, 21–23

rescuing details from, 14–16

Shadows Clipping setting (Photomatix Pro)



Shadows Smoothness setting (Photomatix

Pro)

description of, 162


sharpening

bracketed photos, 138

images, 207–208

over-sharpening, 311–312

shooting bracketed photos

AEB, using, 104–105, 106

exposure compensation, using, 97–100

manual bracketing, using, 100–104

multiple auto brackets, 105–108


shooting modes

Auto Exposure Bracketing and, 82–83


shooting panoramas in HDR, 250–255

shooting photos. See also shooting

bracketed photos

looking around when, 303

patience when, 298

with purpose, 304–305

shopping for equipment, 28

Show Original (Photomatix Pro), 179

shutter priority mode, and Auto Exposure

Bracketing, 83


shutter speed

controlling exposure using, 71

setting for manual bracketing, 101–102

single-exposure (brackets)

defi nition of, 117

workfl ow for, 121, 122

single-exposure (Raw)

comparing results of, 128–130

defi nition of, 117

workfl ow for, 120

single-exposure HDR

advantages of, 115

comparing results, 127–130

creating brackets from, 140–142

deciding when to use, 116–118, 130


minimum requirements for, 118–119

setting up, 84–86

tone mapping, 121–122, 123–127

workfl ow for, 119–123

16-bit images, and Photoshop Elements,

259

16-bit TIFFs, 183

sizes of tripods, 46

Slider mode of Smoothing setting


sling bags for cameras, 47, 48

smoothing rough spots

due to motion that oscillates, 240–241

mask edges, 264



Smoothing setting (Photomatix Pro)

description of, 159


smoothness, adjusting, 182

software. See also Lightroom; Photomatix

Pro; Photoshop; Photoshop Elements;

software problems

Adobe Camera Raw plug-in, 57–58,

140–142, 256

Apple Aperture, 54, 64–65, 256

Artizen HDR, 53, 58

for converting Raw photos to TIFFs, 54–55



easyHDR, 59–60

FDRTools, 60

features of, 52–53

HDR, 52–53


image editing, 54

image management, 54

PTGui, 268

Qtpfsgui, 62

staying current on, 62

third-party Raw, 56–57

types of, 51–52

software brackets, defi nition of, 117

software problems

color underuse, 314, 315

ghosting, 118, 311

halos, 307–308

lack of contrast, 308–309

lack of imagination, 310

noise reduction overuse, 312–313

overreacting to criticism, 316–317

over-sharpening, 311–312

overuse of effects, 314, 315–316

putting square pegs into round holes,

313–314

software processing, as part of two-tiered

process, 11

Sony Alpha 300 dSLR

auto bracketing feature of, 79–80

photos taken with, 35, 40

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX1, 33

Sony Image Data Converter


and, 256

Raw exposures and, 22

Spot Healing Brush (Photoshop Elements),

229–230

spot mode (light meters), 109

squeezing dynamic range, 152, 153

stability of tripods, improving, 44

stitching panoramas together in

Photoshop Elements, 259–267

straightening images, 210–211

Strength setting (Photomatix Pro)



tone mapping people and, 124

style presets, 56

subjects


and, 274

moving, taking single-exposure HDR

and, 117

sunset example, rescuing details from

shadows, 14–16

super-zoom cameras

choosing, 33–35

lenses of, 38–39

symbols for exposure compensation, 98

• T •Take Tone Curve of Color Profi le option


taking cameras along everywhere, 299

taming highlights, 16–17

telephoto capability of super-zoom

lenses, 39

telephoto lenses, 43

Temperature setting (Photomatix Pro),

161, 181

textures

accentuating, 20

looking for, 302

noise and, 126

35mm equivalence for focal lengths, 41


335 Index

third-party Raw software, 56–57

3-D, blending in


overview of, 212


360 Image setting (Photomatix Pro), 163

Threshold slider (Photoshop)

Local Adaptation method, 168, 169, 171


TIFFs

converting Raw photos to, 54–56, 138–139

16-bit compared to 8-bit, 183

tilt heads on tripods, 46

time, paying attention to, 300

tinting (colorizing black-and-white images)



Tonal Range Compression setting


tonal relationships between points in

images, 152, 154

tone, and converting images to black and

white, 271–272

Tone Compressor (Photomatix Pro),

163–164

tone mapping. See also Photomatix Pro;

post-tone mapping workfl ow; tone

mapping single-exposure HDR

comparing approaches to, 188–190


during, 277

description of, 13, 19, 134, 151

low dynamic range images, 21–23

master frames, 257


presets for, 174

squeezing dynamic range, 152, 153

tonal relationships and, 152, 154

Tone Mapping button (Photomatix Pro),

175

Tone Mapping option (Photomatix Pro),

155

Tone Mapping Preview window


tone mapping single-exposure HDR

brackets method, 128, 129–130

to increase contrast and details, 125

on the go, 123–125

overview of, 121–122, 123

Raw method, 128, 129, 130

to reduce noise, 125–126

using single Raw photo without

converting to brackets, 126–127

toning (colorizing black-and-white images)



tradeoffs

with compact digital cameras, 31–32

with dSLR cameras, 36–37

with high-end and super-zoom cameras,

34–35

Transform layers, creating, 204

transparency, 198–199

tripods

accessories for, 47

choosing, 43, 297–298

expensive, 45–46

improving stability of, 44

inexpensive, 44–45

leveling cameras on, 250–251

odd, 44

shooting panoramas and, 255

using, 11

troubleshooting. See color problems,

correcting; software problems

Tutorial option (Photomatix Pro), 155

• U •ultra-wide angle lenses, 39–40, 42

underexposed, defi nition of, 73

underexposed photos, creating from one

Raw exposure, 140–141

underexposed photos, shooting

exposure compensation method, 98


underexposed sets, shooting, 107

Urban/Snapshots style (Photoshop

Elements), 280



• V •vertical distortion, 233, 234

Vertical Perspective option (Photoshop

Elements), 235

viewfi nders, 31

Vignette option (Photoshop Elements),

234, 235–236

Vivid Landscapes style (Photoshop

Elements), 280

• W •watermarks, adding to images, 243–244

Web sites

Adobe Lightroom, 63

Adobe Photoshop, 63

Adobe Photoshop Elements, 63

Adorama Camera, 44, 45, 48

Amazon.com, 44, 48

Artizen HDR, 58


creating JPEGs to post on, 242–245


easyHDR, 59

FDRTools, 60

fi le formats, 136


Photomatix Pro, 61

Qtpfsgui, 62

software, 64

third-party Raw editors, 57

WhiBal (white balance aid), 49

white balance

aids for, 49

fi xing, 138

for panoramas, 250

White Balance drop-down list (Photomatix

Pro), 145

White Point setting (Photomatix Pro)

description of, 160


wide angle lenses, 39–40

wide-angle capability


of super-zoom lenses, 39

wireless shutter releases, 48

workfl ow. See also post-tone mapping

workfl ow

converting Raw photos and, 137

converting to black and white, 275

defi ning, 26

editing with layers, 203

phases of, and types of software, 51–52

post-tone mapping, 206–212


steps in, 11, 13

Workfl ow Shortcuts dialog box

(Photomatix Pro)

Generate HDR image option, 143

options, 155

• Z •zoom capability, and compact digital

cameras, 38


Robert CorrellCoauthor of HDR Photography Photo Workshop

• Shoot and create HDR images

• Choose good subjects and the right camera settings

• Enhance your images with Photomatix Pro and other software packages

IN FULL COLOR!

Learn to:

High Dynamic Range

Digital Photography

Making Everything Easier!™

Open the book and find:

• What makes a photo a high dynamic range image

• How to tone-map an HDR image

• When to shoot more or fewer brackets for an HDR image

• Tips on shooting single-exposure HDR

• How to create amazing panoramas

• Strategies for shooting with a high-end or budget digital camera

• Steps for converting HDR images to black and white

• Problem-solving techniques

Robert Correll is an author, photographer, and musician. He is coauthor

of HDR Photography Photo Workshop as well as books on Paint Shop Pro

and Pro Tools music production software. Robert also developed a training

system for creating HDR photos with Photoshop CS4.

Photography/Techniques/Digital

$29.99 US / $35.99 CN / £21.99 UK

ISBN 978-0-470-56092-1

Go to Dummies.com®

for videos, step-by-step examples, how-to articles, or to shop!

Are you ready to take an artistic leap forward in your photography? Do you want dynamic photos that bring a scene to life? With this book, your camera, and a little practice, you’ll be able to create amazing HDR images. Packed with full-color examples, it shows you how to edit photos to give them more vibrant colors, richer contrast, and sharper highlights.

• The ABCs of HDR — learn the basics about cameras, gear, workflow, and software options for creating HDR

• Examine your HDR options — apply different strategies when shooting with a pro camera or basic point-and-shoot model

• Expand your photo techniques — discover the basics of photo bracketing and how to create HDR from a single Raw photo

• Turn normal photos into eye-catching HDR images — use Photomatix Pro to create and tone-map HDR images

• Broaden your horizons — take better photos for HDR and create HDR panoramas or black-and-white HDR images

Get the lowdown on how HDR works plus ways to shoot it, process it, and finish your images

InColor

Hig

h D

yna

mic R

an

ge

Dig

ital Ph

oto

gra

phy

Hig

h D

yna

mic R

an

ge

Dig

i tal Ph

oto

gra

phy

Correll

spine=.70”

high dynamic range digital photography for dummies (isbn - 0470560924)

Documents